Jack was awoken from his pleasant slumber by the smell of... bacon? Opening his sleepy eyes, he saw Mark sitting at the campfire with a small goblin-like creature. A Riekling. Jack jerked upright, searching for a weapon. He really regretted not sleeping with one but conjured his bound dagger instead. This would work just as well. Jack raised the dagger to throw it at the chuckling Riekling, when Mark suddenly told him in a rush. "Jack, Don't!" Jack dispelled the dagger in his hand as the Riekling squealed in surprise, falling backward off the tree stump it had been sitting on. The Riekling peeked over the stump. His big black beady eyes and long bluish-grey pointed ears barely visible. Mark chuckled softly in the sudden silence, introducing them warmly. "Jack, this is Klipper. Klipper, this is my husband Jack." Klipper's little hand rose above the tree stump to wave, his beady eyes never blinking or looking away. Jack licked his dry lips nervously, asking Mark anxiously. "Mark? How did you befriend a Riekling exactly?"

Mark turned the meat cooking on the spit over the fire, telling him honestly. "Klipper here found me. He belongs to a small tribe nearby. A bunch of drunken Nords were going to wipe them out over possession of a stupid mead hall. The Riekling Chief was just trying to protect his people from extermination by using the sturdy building to protect them from the cold and outside elements. So, I helped him out. Klipper here decided to stay with me while I waited for you. He even hunted breakfast for us." Jack eyed what he could see of Klipper. He wasn't sure what to make of him. He had never known any Rieklings personally. However, Mark didn't seem bothered by him and he was always defending Dragons for not being as mean as they looked. So, he waved back to Klipper. Klipper's head rose a bit higher over the stump to reveal his sharp toothed grin, then he began hefting himself back onto the stump. The stump was about as tall as him, but he managed to climb up and sit cross-legged upon it once again.

Klipper put a hand on his wide hip, beckoning him closer to the fire with the slender fingers of his other hand. Jack inched himself closer, while Mark told him openly. "Klipper was keeping watch while I slept last night. You scared the wits out of him. He kept apologizing that he let you slip in." Klipper put a hand to his face, hiding his embarrassed grin. Jack was happy that someone was watching out for Mark. When Klipper peeked between his fingers to look at him, Jack nodded his respect. Klipper's long pointed ears perked up and he smiled warmly back. He was about to ask Mark if Klipper spoke and common languages, but before he could, Mark asked him softly. "Speaking of last night... Miraak?" Jack's whole body tensed at the memory. Klipper puffed up his chest, chittering something in Riekling before spitting across the ground away from them. Collecting himself, he honestly told him. "He's dead." Klipper let out a surprised squeak. While Mark happily stated out. "Really? Are you sure?"

Jack chuckled morbidly, retorting almost playfully. "He was a pile of bones when I left, and his soul was claimed by Hermaeus Mora... So, ya. I'm pretty sure he's dead and gone permanently." Klipper began to bounce on the stump, clapping his hands as he uttered out excited chitters with bits of broken english that he didn't catch. It just sounded like cat purrs and soft growls. Mark nodded to Klipper, asking Jack with a smile. "I'm with Klipper. I wanna hear this great war tale of yours." Jack rolled his eyes, unable to stop himself from smirking. He didn't consider it to be a 'great tale.' Although, he was still happy to be alive to tell it. So, he started from the moment he left Mark. Mark listened in silence like he always did. Wanting to hear everything before asking anything. Klipper on the other hand was like a small child. He rolled onto his stomach across the stump with his hands propping up his head as he listened. On occasion soft gasps would escape him, or he'd get so tense that his little legs would anxiously wiggle in the air behind him.

When he reached the part of him flying on Sahrotaar, Klipper's eyes glistened with a deep magical longing. The moment he reached what happened to her, Klipper began to sniffle and rub his runny nose on his slender bare arm. Jack didn't leave out anything or change anything. He told it like it was. After finishing his tale, Mark was the one to tell him lovingly. "I'm just glad he let you come back to me. I kept trying to think of a way that I could go there to help you... Or rescue you if-" Jack cut him off by crawling up to him. Snuggling into Mark's arms, Jack whispered against his throat. "I will always find a way to come home to you." Mark hugged him tightly, burying his head into his neck to give him tender kisses. Jack wanted to stay this way, when a soft throat cleared to draw their attention. Jack reluctantly looked to find Klipper standing in front of him. Klipper removed his tiny spear, holding it up proudly for him to see and then pulled it to his chest with his chin held high. Jack was only semi-confident that he understood.

Looking to Mark, he let Mark tell him with a smile. "He's pledging his allegiance to you. He did that to me yesterday. The Chief told me that it's a great honor to pledge themselves to other great warriors. Makes you... an honorary Riekling in a way. You are a part of their tribe when they are willing to die for you." Raising an eyebrow, Jack mumbled out to Mark discreetly. "Does he know about you being a...?" Klipper must have understood, because he made scary hands and let out a playfully growl, before nodding swiftly. Mark chuckled, leaning away from Jack's glare as he quickly interjected. "To be fair. The drunken Nords wouldn't see reason. They were going to kill all the Rieklings without even trying to come to a compromise. They got pissed that I chose to side with them and tried to kill me... So, I fixed the problem. They were a problem and I solved it. The Rieklings just found me fascinating after that." Jack shook his head with worry. Mark simply kissed his forehead, whispering lovingly to him. "I couldn't kill the Rieklings Jack... They were just trying to survive. I wish you could have seen how they thanked me."

Klipper hopped in place, cheering out in a high-pitched tone of broken english. "Feast! Big Feast! Many piggies for big dog!" Jack snorted, smirking as he snuggled back into Mark's chest. While Jack ate strips of bacon and hunks of boar meat, Klipper and Mark told him all about what they had gone through in the day that he was away. Klipper even acted out a few battle scenes with a kid like flare that made Jack smile. Klipper was adorable in his own way. Once they were all caught up and finished eating, Mark climbed to his feet, asking him with a bright smile. "Are you ready to go home?" Jack took his hand, grinning just as brightly as he answered. "Oh, hell yes!" Together they quickly gathered up all their supplies. Hefting his backpack over his shoulder, Jack blinked in surprise to see Klipper retrieve his own little travel bag. Waddling on his slender legs, Klipper raced after Mark with excited cheers. Mark glanced back at Jack with a slight blush, informing him tenderly. "I may have promised him that he could tag along with us. He wanted to explore Skyrim. Who am I to dash his dreams of being the first Riekling to see Skyrim?"

Jack couldn't resist laughing. Mark always had such a big heart for tiny things and creatures. Slowly they headed back to Raven Rock together. When the Dunmer noticed Klipper, they began kicking dirt at him to try scaring him away. Klipper was spry from a hefty looking little creature though and would threaten them with his tiny spear. Which caused Jack to take a different approach to avoid trouble. Keeping Klipper close between himself and Mark, they managed to lead him to the docks without an incident. They were fortunate that Captain Gjalund was still in the harbor. Bargaining for safe passage back to Skyrim was slightly pricier than before... now that he knew what Mark was and because now they were escorting a wild Riekling with them. They paid what he wanted though and slipped down to the same cabin as before. Their funds were taking a hit though. Upon reaching the cabin door, Klipper tugged on Mark to push an empty barrel next to their door. Jack didn't understand why, until Klipper climbed in discreetly. Using the holes in the barrel, Klipper peeked out with an eerie chuckle.

Mark gave Jack an innocent shrug, uttering out nicely. "What can I say? He likes guard duty." Jack backed into the cabin, dropping his bag and beckoning him inside. He wasn't thinking about Klipper. Mark tilted his head with a wicked smirk, patting the barrel lid as he distractedly told Klipper. "Keep a lookout, Klipper. Make sure no one disturbs us." Klipper chittered excitedly in response. Then just as Mark was closing the door, a sailor passed by the room and Klipper popped out of the barrel to screech out in broken english. "NO DISTURB!" The young sailor screamed, tumbling backward down the hall. The sounds of his thundering footsteps and curses fading as he scrambled away. While Klipper slowly sank back into the barrel, whispering menacingly to himself. "No disturb..." Mark didn't even turn around, his face trying hard not to burst out laughing. Closing the door behind him, he composed himself enough to tell him sweetly. "We'll work on his delivery later."

Jack broke into a chuckle that burst into a full heart laugh. He began laughing so hard that he had to sit down on the bed to keep himself from falling down. His laughter was contagious enough to break Mark into a deep fit of laughter. Removing his thick puffy Skaal jacket, he dropped it to the floor and ran his hands through his green bangs. His laughter was dying down now. His face felt red though and happy tears were streaming down his face. He didn't realize how much he needed a laugh like that. Mark dropped to his knees in front of him, cupping his face to brush tears away with his thumbs. Jack closed his eyes, moaning softly to himself. Jack's hands trailed down from Mark's wrists to his shoulders with a longing to be held by him. He wanted to feel Mark. Needed him closer. Not really for any sexual reason, but simply because he wanted the intimate comfort it provided. A way to hold him with nothing between them. To feel vulnerable and safe at the same time. It felt like such a primal urge. A desire to be comforted more deeply than a simple hug could provide.

Jack clawed at Mark's shirt, until he finally started stripping off his armor and clothes. Jack watched him remove the layers, until he pulled open his shirt to reveal his tanned skin. Only then did he strip himself down to his own skin. Mark stood up slowly, eyeing Jack with gentle eyes. He could probably sense that something was bothering him. On the outside, Jack felt like he was strong... but on the inside... he was a shaking mess. Always being so close to death or feeling like every moment was his last... it was frightening. It wasn't the life he wanted. It wasn't the way he wanted to die. This was his only way of getting what he wanted. A small taste of the life he wanted. Jack slipped beneath the warm fur blanket, then reached out for Mark's hand. Mark slid his fingers over his, moving closer to kneel on the bed. Jack blushed, flipping the blanket up enough for Mark slip in with him. Keeping ahold of his hand, Mark laid down with him. Propping himself up on his side, Mark looked him in the eyes as he whispered to him lovingly. "Are you ok?"

Jack started to nod, only to stop and shake his head more honestly. Mark snuggled closer to him, until the warmth of his legs touched his. Beneath the blanket, Mark's feet pet his soothingly. Jack laid his head down on the pillow, savoring the affection. Mark's hand released his hand to stroke up and down his bare arm comfortingly, giving Jack goosebumps everywhere. Mark then slipped his hand behind his shoulder blades, pulling him up against him as he began kissing his throat tenderly. He even hummed into his ear, causing Jack's toes to curl from how the vibrations sent tingles down his spine. For hours they didn't say a word between them. They simply passed the time with kisses that made the world stand still and caressing touches that said more than words could ever say. Mark placed a gentle kiss to his collarbone, causing Jack to wrap his arms around Mark's neck. Just as Mark lifted his head to look him in the eyes, Jack finally broke the silence after so long to whisper to him wholeheartedly. "I love you, Mark. You know that, don't you?"

Mark smiled with such a loving expression that Jack thought he might cry. Mark scooted up his body more, whispering over his lips just as powerfully. "I know. But I never get tired of hearing you say it. I love you too, Jack. I always will. Forever." Jack pressed his lips to Mark's slowly in order to draw out the kiss. Shifting a little, Jack finally laid across his back, pulling Mark over him during the kiss. Mark easily rolled over him, nestling between his legs. Raising his legs, he locked them at Mark's sides and broke the kiss only enough to purr to him playfully. "I'll hold you to that." Mark let out a deep throaty chuckle, before claiming his lips in a more passionate kiss that made Jack arch back against the bed with a muffled moan. All the fear and pressures of the day before just faded away. They just didn't matter anymore. He couldn't dwell on them. Not when Mark kissed him this good to drive all that clouded emotion away. To Be Continued...