Ephedrina changes out of her armour before they return to Whiterun. Even if she'd gotten her old clothes back she would've had to change. Still, it sticks in her craw that Gascayn has it... it once belonged to a noblewoman whom Ephedrina served, before she died. It doesn't seem right that someone else should take it.

 

 

As soon as she sets foot in the town, Ephedrina is subjected to a humiliating search. The guard squeezes her tits and ass for his own pleasure (with a "heyo, what's this" as he grabs her nipple piercings - going back a few times to pull and tug), but at least he lets her keep her clothes on.

 

 

The hot soapy bath makes her feel significantly better, though, washing off the dirt and the stink.

 

 

Ephedrina's skill at music earns them room and board. It's a skill she learned at court, when she was a handmaiden to a Dunmer noble lady. It's stood her in good stead.

 

 

She studies one of her recently returned spell-tomes before bedtime. Luckily the bandits didn't sell them on.

 

 

... and then she passes out to a long exhausted dreamless sleep. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

 

Back in her old life Ephedrina spent a non-trivial amount of time sewing, embroidering, and doing other handy-work. Neat handicrafts have always been highly prized at court. She never minded overly even if it wasn't a passion, and she was fairly talented at it as well. That proves useful now, more than she'd imagined, as she's able to craft herself some decent clothes.

 

And... in what is probably a testament to Ephedrina's strength of spirit - she feels genuinely happy. The weather is lovely. Her new clothes is not bad at all. And she's been making some money from potions. Maybe she really is digging up after all.

 

 

Her new clothes not as posh - or as powerfully enchanted - as the things Gascayn took, but it's better than the Nord rags and castoffs she's been wearing recently at least.

 

"You look nice, Ephy... even if I can't see your cunt." He gives her a winning smile, as if he thinks it's a perfectly normal compliment to give to someone. And he said it loud enough that the people around them clearly heard it. Bastard.

 

She's not sure if it's meant as a genuine compliment or it reflects what he thinks of her... well actually... it's probably both.

 

 

Gascayn has some sort of business at the palace. As is typical, he doesn't share any details.

 

 

The Steward apparently believes Ephedrina is some sort of Dunmer noble. It doesn't stop him from trying to look down her cleavage though. Taking her cue from Gascayn, Ephedrina puts on her best effervescent courtly act.

 

"You look hurt milady. I hope the bandits didn't give you too much trouble."

 

They did. They gave her a lot of trouble, but she takes the effort not to show it on her face. "Not at all my lord steward," she laughs. "We gave them significantly more trouble."

Right. They're here to collect the bounty. Based on the bounty letter she obtained before... well before the bandits defeated her. It looks like Gascayn has pocketed the gold.

 

 

"An excellent vintage my Lord Steward," says Gascayn. "Is it Breton? If it is, I must say it lives up to its reputation."

 

His look tells Ephedrina that she shouldn't have any. Of course. The bastard.

 

 

At least she recovered a good deal of her money from the bandits. Between that and the money she made from her potions she had enough to buy out of the nose-ring deal, the tiara deal, the pierced nipple deal, and the obligated-to-fuck-Gascayn deal. That does feel good.

 

He still controls her gold... and well... she's not sure she can make it in Skyrim without him. So she'll stick with him. For now at least. But Ephedrina makes a promise to herself. She's not going to fuck Gascayn.

 

Ephedrina is feeling horny though. Her face is getting flushed and it's getting slippery between her legs.

 

It didn't use to be like this. She's changed. But she's not going to fuck Gascayn.

 

 

As luck would have it, Ephedrina catches the eye of a rich man's wife.

 

The woman lays it on pretty thick, winking and smiling when she asks about Ephedrina's "adventures". It's pretty clear what she's after, but it suits Ephedrina just fine.

 

 

Soon enough the two of them are fucking a priest on the floor of the temple of Kynareth. The woman obviously finds it arousingly transgressive. Ephedrina might have felt so as well at one time in the past, but compared to where and how she's been fucked it's not particularly outlandish.

 

Still, it's nice. And it's nice to have sex with someone who felt she had to persuade her first, rather than simply take her body. Someone who's invested in her pleasure, not just their own...

 

... and yet... and yet... while it's nice, it's somehow not quite as exciting.

 

Uh oh.

 

 

After the little dalliance at the temple (and she did get off, at least), Ephedrina visits a certain shop outside of Whiterun. There she buys a key which can unlock the magic curse collar that was put on her for not having a magic license. She figures it's cheaper to put the collar on and not lock it when in town - and that way evade the enforces - rather than bleeding money for licenses all the time. It's not like she'll be casting spells inside city walls anyhow.

 

Back at the Bannered Mare she puts a bit of time into studying spells again. It's a nice feeling. Empowering. And now that she's can take off the magic curse collar when she feels like it, she may be able to put her studies to use again.

 

She also gets herself a black choker. Somehow she's gotten used to having something around her neck. Just the physical feeling. Not the magical curse part.

 

 

Again, Ephedrina plays and sings for their room at the Bannered Mare. She's better than the jackass who normally plays there, without a doubt. He claims to have studied at the bards' college. If that's true, that's a poor reflection on the college.

 

 

Finally, she lets herself collapse in bed. Two nights in a row sleeping in a warm, clean in bed. A whole day in which no one fucked her except those she decided to fuck.

Slowly Ephedrina drifts off to sleep as the thought "fuck you Gascayn" pleasantly wanders across her mind. Maybe she should get rid of him after all... but it is safer with him around... but maybe if she is more careful...? She doesn't have to decide right now though... but still... fuck Gascayn....