I dreamt of warmth. I was at the fire pit, not just lying beside it but actually atop its iron grille. Waves of heat flowed through my body, but I didn't burn. I only felt a deep, intense sense of relief as all the aches of the road fled my body. Then a warm hand brushed against my thigh, and I rolled my head to the side, lazily opening my eyes. 

 

A golden-skinned elf stood over me, his hands brushing lightly against my body. It took a moment before I recognized him: it was Nelacar, the wizards whose advice at set me on the trail to Helgen. Flames leapt from the fire pit, bathing his legs as he crouched over me, but he too seemed immune to their kiss. His fingers brushed against my lips, and I reached up towards him.

 

 

"Why are you here?" I whispered. 

 

"Sshhh," he shushed, gentle but firm hands rolling me only my front. Now every piece of me except my angles was directly on the grille over the fire pit. The flames wreathed my head, glowing embers mere inches from my eyes, and all I felt was comfort and contentedness. 

 

Nelecar ran his hands along my sides, drawing out little moans of pleasure as the knots in my back untied one by one. As he worked, I could feel the pressure on my waist wax and wane as the enchanted belt phased in and out of reality, as if responding to Nelacar's hands. 

 

"Tell me," I insisted. "Why are you here?"

 

 

This time it was my turn to change positions. I eased Nelacar around and onto his back, gently rubbing and tickling at his cock. The organ glistened in the firelight, twitching lightly at my touches. I saw with interest then, that Nelacar's body was scrawled all over with runes and arcane patterns. I tried to remember... had those tattoos been there when he 'tested' his charm spell on me?

 

He shook his head. "No questions," he said. "I want to feel your lips on me."

 

I peeled back his foreskin slowly, then wrapped my lips around the head of his cock. With just the littlest bit of suction, I massaged the crown of his sensitive member with my lips. A moment later, I pulled back.

 

"Like that?" I asked.

 

"Mmmm," he grunted, "more like that."

 

Then I wrapped my hand around his scrotum, loose and dangling from the heat of the fire pit. I could feel his balls, firm and thick, through the relaxed skin of his sack. As I tightened my grip ever so slowly, I kissed his penis again, drawing out a little shudder from the elf. Then, I tugged as his balls. First gently, playfully, then more firmly. Nelacar gasped, raising his hips off the ground to win back some slack.

 

I squeezed his balls again, making him wince. "Why," I repeated, a bit playful but also a bit testy, "are you here?"

 

 

And then he was gone. A firm hand gripped my shoulders, pulling me away from the fire pit. Then snow poured down on me like a freezing blanket, shocking me fully back awake. 

 

The bartender was there, an empty bucket in his hand. As my senses came back to me, I smelled a faint odor of smoke, and I realized I was no longer in my bedroll. 

 

"Damn, stupid girl, you almost fell in."

 

Brushing the fluffy snow off my body as fast as I could, I looked left and right and realized I'd rolled a significant way towards the pit. In fact, if the black scorch marks were any indication, the tip of my cloak had actually slid in, catching alight.

 

I sat up then, still brushing at the snow. "I... how..." then I focused on my apparent savior, "thank you."

 

After a few more minutes to fully get myself awake, I considered my situation. Dawn had broken and the landscape was fast lightening; from the night before, I had a good idea of the best path to Dawnstar. Resolved to get moving as early as possible, I supped briefly on a casserole of grains and melted cheese, then prepared to leave.

 

"Thank you again," I told the bartender as I took my leave. 

 

"Don't mention it," he said. "But if you don't mind me asking, who is Nelacar?"

 

That brought back the dream to my mind, and along with it the pervasive sense that the elf was hiding something from me. "He's a wizard," I said, "one with too many secrets."

 

"Aye," the bartender acknowledge, "too many secrets is a problem most of them have, if you ask me. Be safe, girl. Trail's better north of here but there's no guarantees."

 

It took me all morning and well into the afternoon to follow the path north, but at last I found myself overlooking the harbor of Dawnstar. By now the port was familiar to me - mother and I had sailed for Northpoint from here, and it was to hear I'd returned less than a month ago. 

 

 

I didn't waste time visiting. I knew which pier housed the ferry to Windhelm, and I walked there directly. It only took the briefest haggling with the boatsman to settle on a price for him to drop me at the small fisherman's dock at the base of Winterhold's cliffs. 

 

After an uneventful voyage, it was just a matter of climbing the steep mountain trail from the waterline to the remains of the once-great city. As I made my way, the College of Winterhold came into view as a clear sign I'd almost come full circle on my journey. The wind was calm today, but a deep chill still bit at me; I considered attempting to enter the college forthwith, but the cold argued otherwise. So instead I made my way back to the Frozen Hearth and the warmth within. 

 

 

The Frozen Hearth was just as warm as when I'd visited last - and just as full of patrons. I set about looking for Nelacar, hoping he was still in residence, but found myself frustrated in that pursuit. Around that time I also realized I was rather hungry, and I ordered a lunch of hard-boiled eggs and grilled fish from the innkeeper. With the food retrieved, I surveyed the hall for a place to sit, eventually putting my eyes on an empty spot near a bookish-looking High Elf. I slid in next to him and started peeling my eggs.

 

 

"Greetings," I said to him, "you with the College?"

 

He frowned at me but didn't deny me an answer. "As a matter of fact, I am. What of it to you?"

 

"I'm looking for another College mer. Or rather, a former one. Nelacar... do you know him?"

 

"Only by reputation," he said, "and its not a very good one. What do you want with him?"

 

"I have... some things to ask him. He'd helped me find someone a while back, but the whole experience left me with more questions than answers."

 

"Something about your head, I take it?"

 

I smiled at that, "how did you guess?"

 

We chatted a bit, about the petty frustrations of scholars, about the breadth of the College's library, and about the mysteries of Skyrim's long-forgotten past. It was an interesting conversation, but mostly over my head in the details. Still, he had a relaxing voice, the voice of a good teacher, and I managed to pass some time listening to his ruminations and sharing some good ale.

 

I almost missed Nelacar's return. The thump of the door closing was a sound I'd by then heard dozens of times, and he made no effort to announce his presence. It was only a familiar voice fast fading into the distance that alerted me to his presence. Thanking the scholar for an enlightening chat, I rose and followed Nelacar to a private room. With a rap of my knuckles on the door frame, I entered, not waiting for him to admit me.

 

 

He stared daggers at me initially. "What, this room's full, get---" he started, then paused, considering me. "Oh," he conceded. "It's you."

 

"Aye, it's me," I agreed. 

 

"How was your trip to Windhelm?"

 

"Just the start of a longer journey, it turns out. I finally caught up with Forrien just north of Helgen."

 

"Oh, well that's good I suppose. But if you're back here bothering me, then he couldn't have solved your problem, I suppose."

 

"No," I confirmed with a shake of my head. "He was dead. Cut down by bandits."

 

"Oh. Ohhhhh," Nelacar said. "Well, I'm sorry. He was a reprobate but his research was fascinating. Then... is that his pet faerie?" he asked, pointing at the green bauble flapping about near me.

 

"It is. Seems to have taken a liking to me." I looked at the sphere and cooed, "haven't you, buddy?"

 

The faerie fluttered its wings with a little buzz before returning to its idle flight. 

 

"Oh, Divines, it's not a puppy. Whatever," he said, shaking his head. "Why are you talking to me again?"

 

"I found a... clue on Forrien's corpse, but I need to speak with an expert on ancient Falmer artifacts. Either within the college or without. You strike me as the type of person who might know someone."

 

"The ancient Falmer, you say? That is indeed an obscure line of research. Perhaps... there's a scholar visiting from the Synod in Cyrodiil right now. Millonce Curio, that's her name. Not exactly an expert though."

 

"Curio?" it struck me that if this was the author of the book I'd found, it would be an unlikely but very convenient coincidence.

 

"You know her?"

 

"Only from her writings, I think. They were... interesting, but might have contained some false assumptions. Anyone else you can think of?"

 

"No, I'm afraid not. If you're going to be picky you might as well just go straight to the librarian."

 

"That sounds like he's who I need to speak with, then," I conceded.

 

Nelacar laughed. "Good luck. You'll need to get past Faralda's entrance exam if you want to enter."

 

"Faralda?" I asked, "who's that?"

 

The elf waved in the general direction of the College bridge. "She's the guardian of the bridge. If you can't case proper spells, she won't open the gates for you."

 

"Hmm, spells have never been my strong suit."

 

"Well," he said, maybe a little too eagerly, "I do have something that might help you. The question is... how much are you willing to trade for it?"

 

I frowned at him then. "I'm guessing you aren't talking about Septims."

 

"Indeed not. Follow me." 

 

 

He led me to an open spot in the center of his room, then turned to face me.

 

"Alright," I said, "now what?"

 

"Stand still. I want to take a closer look at those feet of yours." 

 

"My... feet." I said, unimpressed.

 

"Yes, don't think I haven't noticed how you casually traipse around barefoot in the snow. I wish to inspect them." 

 

Crouching, he carefully examined each of my feet, a smirk of perverse enjoyment starting to cross his face.

 

 

"So lovely and well-formed," he mumbled under his breath. Then louder he added, "you could take better care of your nails though."

 

"Sweet Lady... are you done?"

 

"No, not yet. I need some more... intimate contact first."

 

I glowered at him. "Nelacar, if you wanted to have sex with me you should have just said so."

 

"No, you misunderstand. I want you to rub your feet on me."

 

"Rub. My. Feet. On. You." I repeated.

 

"Yes," his whispered. "Do that... and if you please me... I'll give you the device I promised. You'll be through the gates in no time. Oh! And one more thing."

 

"What?" I asked flatly.

 

"While you do it, I want you to tell me I have a small penis. Mock me and humiliate me about how pathetic and tiny it is." His cheeks were actually flushing as he said it. "Do that... and I'll also give you a key for one of those toys of yours."

 

I laughed at that. That wasn't what I was expecting. Smirking at him, I answered, "Nelacar, I would have done that for you for free. Get your robes off, tiny man."

 

As he undressed, I laid back and dangled my feet before him. His breathing coming heavier, I felt his hands rubbing and caressing my feet. I could also see his cock twitching and engorging.

 

Forcing a laugh, I sneered, "I bet there's some tiny wood elf out there just waiting to have that in his ass. Nobody else would notice it. 

 

Fully erect now, his body coated in sweat, Nelacar laid on his back and looked at me with plaintive eyes. "Now, step on me. Right on my chest. Do it, do it!"

 

 

As I planted my foot, I noticed with interest that his body was indeed tattooed the way I'd seen it in my dream. 

 

"What does that say? Object in mirror is smaller than it appears?"

 

He groaned loudly at that, throwing his head back and wiggling his hips as I pressed down on his sternum.

 

"Now open your legs and sit still. I need to... inspect that boypussy of yours and see if it's as small as your cock."

 

 

Obediently, he spread himself before me and I pressed my great toe against the puckered entrance of his anus. 

 

"Still have a problem with my toenails, little guy?"

 

"Oh, no... they're... perfect," he moaned as I worked my fat toe inexorably into his back passage. Once I was inside, I started to flex and move the toe, stretching him up and down, left and right. His testicles started to contract closer to his body, and I could feel his anus twitching and squeezing my toe. Nelacar, meanwhile, was groaning in pleasure, both hands over his face as he lay there, seemingly lost in bliss.

 

Finally, I felt a powerful contraction around my toe and Nelacar came all over his own chest in a series of three increasingly powerful spurts.

 

"Dibella's Tits," he murmured, still coving his face. "That was good. Better than anything I've had in weeks."

 

When the last of the tension had relaxed, I pulled my toe out of him and walked around him until I was standing by his head. "We're not done yet, Nelacar. You got my toe dirty. I expect you to clean it."

 

"Ohhhhhh," he groaned, "with pleasure..."

 

The elf set about sucking and licking my soiled toe then, running his tongue all the way town the sides and even running his teeth under the toenail to get at every little crevice. He kept this up far longer than seemed strictly necessary, but seemed to be greatly enjoying himself. At length, he released my foot and rose, starting to dress himself.

 

"Well," he said, "it's been too long I think. And I owe you my side of the bargain. Come here and put your foot up on this stool."

 

I did as he said, and he looped a golden thong of some sort around my ankles, then secured it under my first toe. The bands were soft as kid leather, but looked like gold wire. At his direction, I switched feet and he repeated the process.

 

 

"There you are," he then offered me a small key, "and the other part I promised you. If you ever need more keys, you know where I live and what you need to do." 

 

I shook my head slowly. "So it seems. Anything else I need to know?"

 

"Yes, one more thing. The magical charge will only hold for about a day. After that, you need to recharge the device."

 

"Do I want to know how I recharge it?" 

 

Nelacar smiled broadly. "Oh, it's very simple. Bathe those purple flowers in semen, fresh from the source, and they'll be restored instantly. I'd be happy to help you with it any time you need..."

 

"I'm sure you would. For now though, I think I have an appointment with Faralda."

 

 

 

Behind The Scenes

Not much to report here today. I ran into the off-screen navigation issue that has cropped up a few times before in conjunction with Survival Control Panel, where leveling up after sleep can cause a CTD, I suspect because of NPC pathfinding routines piling up. Reverting to normal level-up behavior seems to have fixed the problem, so we'll just leave things be for now; for my next build, I'll try out Sleep To Level Up and see if it performs better.