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"Azura! Those things are fast..." Beriesa panted. She had gotten it's mate with a lucky arrow moments before. Then before she could nock and loose another the second one was upon her. She barely had time to draw her longsword and fight clear enough to shrug her shield about and take it up properly.

Her arm ached from warding its blows, and despite the blood on the thing, her sword hadn't slowed it by much if at all. She could not say the same for herself. She hadn't been this tired during a fight since she'd been part of taking that Altmer galley laden with treasure off the coasts of Hammerfell two years ago.

The creature paused, as if catching its breath. The troll's three eyes regarded her as if sizing up its choices. Berry was grateful for the chance it gave her to catch her own breath.''

"Blazes..." she muttered. "I could be on a warm beach at Brigand Bay, swilling wine and riding a captain's cockhorse... But no, stupid woman... you had to decide to go straight and come to bloody Skyrim. Die in this forsaken cave and it's your own bloody damn fault!"

The troll shifted, crouched, tensed its muscles for a leap. Beriesa prepared her own leap... to the side in her case.

"Come on!" she taunted. "Daedra take you to Oblivion and bugger your arse!"

All of its eyes squinted. The troll leaped...