Nadia’s hands were practically dripping with sweat as she knocked on Bolli’s door. She had rehearsed what she wanted to say over and over, but it still didn’t sound quite right in her head. Either way, nothing had prepared her for Nivenor opening the door instead.
“Nadia…” the Bosmer said, her eyebrows raised. Nadia flinched, and took a step backwards.
“I…I’m sorry. I can go—”
“No need.” To her surprise, Nivenor’s eyes softened, and she opened the door wider. “Come inside. Let’s talk.” Nadia couldn’t help but feel an anxious tug in the pit of her stomach, but she complied, following the well-dressed elf into the main room.
“How are you feeling?” Nivenor asked, taking a seat at the dining room table.
“I’m fine,” Nadia replied, sitting down as well and resting her hands in her lap. Nivenor smiled sadly.
“I have four sisters, my friend. Even if you’re early on, there are some obvious signs of pregnancy from the beginning.” Nadia blushed deeply, and the older woman nodded. “It’s okay. I won’t say anything.” She sighed, leaning forward on her hands. “Despite everything, I can’t bring myself to blame you. You wanted what you want, and you went after it. There’s no shame in that, and I can’t be angry at you for doing what I’ve done all my life.”
“I understand,” the Breton replied. “I could say the same about you.” She paused, looking up timidly at the elf. “If you don’t mind me asking…when did you start sleeping with Hemming?”
“I honestly don’t remember,” Nivenor admitted. “I seduced him the first time I learned that Bolli had slept with Haelga. I had meant to make it a one-time thing, but…he cares about me, I believe that. He gives me more than just things. Bolli…he’s a good man, but it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted more than just his money.”
“Do you love Hemming?” Nadia asked. The Bosmer bit her lip, then shrugged.
“I don’t think so. Not yet. But what I feel for him is more than what I feel for Bolli.” She looked up, her eyes searching the girl’s face. “What about you? Do you love Bolli?” Nadia faltered, unable to keep eye contact.
“…Yes. I do.”
“That’s good. I can’t speak for him, of course, but I believe he loves you, too.” Nivenor looked over at the door, making sure they were truly alone before she spoke again. “Can I tell you something, Nadia?” When the Breton nodded, her shoulders slumped, and she leaned in. “After Bolli caught us, Hemming asked me for my hand. He assumed that Bolli would leave me, so he thought he had free rein to do so.” Nadia tilted her head, her brow furrowed.
“Will you say yes?”
“I don’t know. I’m not certain Bolli will leave me, considering how long he’s been sharing your bed. Does he know that you’re pregnant?” The Breton shook her head. “Will you tell him?”
“I haven’t decided,” Nadia replied. “He seemed pretty upset when he found out about you and Hemming. I’m not sure if it would be good for him if I told him the truth.” She paused, suddenly very comfortable telling Nivenor the truth. It was amazing, really, how candid she could be with the wife of her long-time lover. “I’m leaving soon. I’m going to go to Whiterun and stay there until my child is a year or two old.” The elf nodded.
“That’s a good idea. I was going to recommend that you leave before you start to show.” She rose to her feet, and surprisingly lay a hand on the girl’s shoulders. “This is no place for a child. I hope you find what you’re looking for in Whiterun.” Nadia smiled genuinely this time, standing as well.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for as well,” she replied, before turning away at last and returning to the city.
F!DB/Bolli: "The Things He Lacks" 18/?
“Nadia…” the Bosmer said, her eyebrows raised. Nadia flinched, and took a step backwards.
“I…I’m sorry. I can go—”
“No need.” To her surprise, Nivenor’s eyes softened, and she opened the door wider. “Come inside. Let’s talk.” Nadia couldn’t help but feel an anxious tug in the pit of her stomach, but she complied, following the well-dressed elf into the main room.
“How are you feeling?” Nivenor asked, taking a seat at the dining room table.
“I’m fine,” Nadia replied, sitting down as well and resting her hands in her lap. Nivenor smiled sadly.
“I have four sisters, my friend. Even if you’re early on, there are some obvious signs of pregnancy from the beginning.” Nadia blushed deeply, and the older woman nodded. “It’s okay. I won’t say anything.” She sighed, leaning forward on her hands. “Despite everything, I can’t bring myself to blame you. You wanted what you want, and you went after it. There’s no shame in that, and I can’t be angry at you for doing what I’ve done all my life.”
“I understand,” the Breton replied. “I could say the same about you.” She paused, looking up timidly at the elf. “If you don’t mind me asking…when did you start sleeping with Hemming?”
“I honestly don’t remember,” Nivenor admitted. “I seduced him the first time I learned that Bolli had slept with Haelga. I had meant to make it a one-time thing, but…he cares about me, I believe that. He gives me more than just things. Bolli…he’s a good man, but it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted more than just his money.”
“Do you love Hemming?” Nadia asked. The Bosmer bit her lip, then shrugged.
“I don’t think so. Not yet. But what I feel for him is more than what I feel for Bolli.” She looked up, her eyes searching the girl’s face. “What about you? Do you love Bolli?” Nadia faltered, unable to keep eye contact.
“…Yes. I do.”
“That’s good. I can’t speak for him, of course, but I believe he loves you, too.” Nivenor looked over at the door, making sure they were truly alone before she spoke again. “Can I tell you something, Nadia?” When the Breton nodded, her shoulders slumped, and she leaned in. “After Bolli caught us, Hemming asked me for my hand. He assumed that Bolli would leave me, so he thought he had free rein to do so.” Nadia tilted her head, her brow furrowed.
“Will you say yes?”
“I don’t know. I’m not certain Bolli will leave me, considering how long he’s been sharing your bed. Does he know that you’re pregnant?” The Breton shook her head. “Will you tell him?”
“I haven’t decided,” Nadia replied. “He seemed pretty upset when he found out about you and Hemming. I’m not sure if it would be good for him if I told him the truth.” She paused, suddenly very comfortable telling Nivenor the truth. It was amazing, really, how candid she could be with the wife of her long-time lover. “I’m leaving soon. I’m going to go to Whiterun and stay there until my child is a year or two old.” The elf nodded.
“That’s a good idea. I was going to recommend that you leave before you start to show.” She rose to her feet, and surprisingly lay a hand on the girl’s shoulders. “This is no place for a child. I hope you find what you’re looking for in Whiterun.” Nadia smiled genuinely this time, standing as well.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for as well,” she replied, before turning away at last and returning to the city.