Where is the ring Turiano promised?
He didn't know, and Gaelina certainly didn't either.
"What did I say back then?"
"You said to wait in Solitude for the best love poem, bring the best ring in the entire city, then go to the Temple of Mara in The Rift to get married, and you even said you'd invite everyone from The Rift to witness the wedding..."
Turiano's face was expressionless, but the cold sweat on his back was already soaking through his clothes.
It was late, and the shops were closed. They rented two rooms at the Winking Skeever and retired for the night.
The next morning, after an early breakfast of bread and roasted meat, they went together to the general store in Solitude—Bits and Pieces. The owner was a young Redguard girl, about sixteen, with a bright, impressive smile. "Ah, customer, it's you."
"Hmm, it is indeed me," Turiano mumbled, standing at the counter. He turned to Gaelina and said, "Why don't you browse the store? I need to ask the proprietress something."
Gaelina looked Turiano up and down with a curious gaze. "Alright." She turned and stood by the bookshelf in the corner, her right hand resting on the longsword at her waist.
"This..."
"Sayma, I'm Sayma."
"Right, uh, let's keep our voices down," Turiano glanced at Gaelina, giving a knowing look. "Did I buy a ring from you a few days ago?"
The lovely young shop owner, Sayma, made an understanding hum. "Of course! You wanted to give that lady a surprise, didn't you?"
"Yes, yes, yes! What else did I say when I bought the ring?"
"You bought the most expensive flawless amethyst engagement ring in the store, enchanted with a stamina regeneration spell, to give you and your lover enough 'time.' Hehe, it's good merchandise from Cyrodiil. I personally picked it up at the East Empire Company docks. It cost a full two thousand septims, but I only charged you two thousand five hundred."
Turiano felt a toothache. Two thousand five hundred septims was enough to recruit men, buy weapons, and launch a small skirmish. Now it was spent on a wretched ring—and the ring was missing!
"Hmm, what else did I say?"
"You were going to Radiant Raiment to order a wedding dress and gown."
"Okay, okay. Goodbye."
Turiano took Gaelina to Radiant Raiment. This shop was run by a pair of High Elf sisters. Seeing the Nord enter, they unleashed a torrent of sarcasm and ridicule, saying their barbarity was like that of trolls, and their strength was like slugs. Turiano was furious, but before he could act, Gaelina rushed forward and started fighting with the two annoying, sharp-tongued women.
The Guards rushed in, and all three were fined five silver coins each. Turiano pulled Gaelina out of the shop. On the way, a beggar greeted him, "Yo! Kind sir, I see you again!"
"Huh? You know me?"
"Of course, you did great yesterday! By the way, you said you were going to exchange the ring and wedding dress for a goat, and it happened... Mmph!" Turiano clapped his hand over the beggar's mouth, pulling him a few steps away. "Did I say where I was going to exchange it for a goat?"
"Yes, to Rorikstead!"
"Thank you, thank you, see you, old friend." Turiano slipped his only gold coin into the beggar's hand, then told Gaelina to go to The Rift first, and that he would definitely bring both the ring and the wedding dress!
...
"You son of a bitch, Rorik! It's you!" Turiano laughed heartily, embracing a bald man in noble robes.
"You bastard, Turiano, what's wrong with you?" Rorik didn't mind his comrade's dirty leather armor, and slapped Turiano's back vigorously, almost wanting to beat him until he bled.
"You're something else! This whole town is yours now?"
"Of course, Rorikstead, Rorik, see, how nice! You even greeted me when you came a few days ago, why do you look like we just met today?"
"Don't even mention it, I was drunk that day."
"What kind of drink could make our Lord Cold-Axe drunk for a whole day?"
"A day? Ha! I was drunk for a week!"
The two of them immediately poured out their grievances to each other upon meeting, and in the end, they couldn't help but go to the Frostfruit Inn for a good drink.
"I came to sell things that day, didn't I?"
"Yes, a ring and a wedding dress. Tell me, which blind girl fell for a scoundrel like you?"
"My fiancée!" Turiano stood up and roared, loud enough to blow off the thatched roof. "She's a true beauty!"
This simple-minded man described Gaelina as peerless in heaven and earth, and his old drinking buddies booed him.
"You must come to the wedding! But we need to get the ring and wedding dress back."
The one who exchanged the ring and wedding dress was the owner of Cowhide Farm. He had moved there and wasn't very familiar with the townspeople. Turiano asked to buy back his things, but the middle-aged Breton shook his head, refusing unless he brought back the goat from the trade; otherwise, it was out of the question.
So where did the goat go?
Turiano had sold it to the giants at the Talking Stone Camp, eight miles northeast of the town.
This was truly a disaster. When Turiano arrived at Talking Stone Camp, he saw a whole roasted goat, charred black, impaled on a thick, fist-sized wooden pole by the giant bonfire. He reluctantly seized the opportunity when the giants weren't looking, hoisted the roasted goat, and ran. The goat had been impaled right through with a long, thick wooden pole, and its fur hadn't even been cleaned. It reeked of char, clearly having died an unpleasant death.
The farmer, seeing the flag-like goat-on-a-stick, was furious. Getting the ring and wedding dress back was now impossible.
His comrades offered to avenge Turiano, but the Nord man simply smiled and didn't insist, just carrying the goat-on-a-stick and walking away, step by step.
...
"You see, the ring and the wedding dress were exchanged for this goat, so they are equivalent. By carrying the goat, I am carrying the ring and the wedding dress," Turiano explained.
Gaelina peeled off the charred goatskin and draped it over her shoulders, then carved off two goat horns, one for each of them.
The wedding indeed took place as planned. People lined up from the Temple to the city gate, and under the witness of the Priests of Mara, Turiano Cold-Axe and Jia'erna Drinks-Blood were united in marriage.
...
"Hahaha!"
At the Mare's Leg, Turiano laughed and then tumbled off the table onto the floor.
He woke up. "Huh? I'm not in The Rift..."
There was no The Rift, no wedding.
It was 4E 180. That year, Gaelina was seventeen, Turiano was twenty. One sought adventure and love, the other was a young explorer who had witnessed a great war.
Turiano absently felt the inner pocket of his leather armor. There was a note and half a Charm of Mara.
"Well done, that was so much fun! Enjoy the joy, my friend!—Andy. P.S.: Don't underestimate this broken Charm, make sure to keep it safe."
...
4E 181
"You dare call yourself a Nord?"
Turiano was knocked to the ground by a woman, and the Charm flew out from under his clothes.
"It's you?"
Gaelina took out half a Charm of Mara from her pants pocket.
"Uh, it's you?" Turiano's eyes widened.
...
The wind stopped, and the corridor ended. Turiano saw in the Candlelight a complete Charm of Mara.
The Charm turned into light and flew into his shattered soul.
"Long time no see, my love," Gaelina said softly.
-------------------------------
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