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4th Era, year 202, 16th of Sun's Dawn/Heart's Day
Heart's Day.
The one day of the year where lovers get to stay in the inns for free and let the entire inn know what they were doing. But for Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm, victor of the Civil War, and the next potential High King, he was sitting at the bar area of Candlehearth, drowning his sorrows in ale. The reason why was because he wasn't a fan of not just Heart's Day, but was also not a fan of 'love' in general. Now in his younger years, he had no problems with Heart's Day, but as he got older, it became harder to have a permanent relationship, since most of those women were after him for his title and status as a Jarl, with him now in his forties, and he hasn't been in any sort of physical relationship with a woman in over five years, but he could care less about that.
As he was downing another bottle of ale, the sound of the bar stool next to him was moved enough that someone was now sighting right next to him, and just as he was about to tell that person to let him drink his sorrows in peace, when the familiar voice of a woman then spoke.
"Got any ales for drowning my sorrows Elda?" said the Dragonborn, a young Imperial woman at the age of twenty-three, soon to be twenty-four, named Avaline (Ava) Lockheart, who aided in winning the Civil War for the Rebels four months ago, during the month of Sun's Dusk to be presice.
It was then Elda Early-Dawn the owner of Candlehearth spoke. "I have plenty of ales Dragonborn." With Elda placing four bottles of ale in-front of the young woman, along with another two bottles in-front of Ulfric, who thanked her for the ales.
While Elda went back to serving the other patrons that were on the second floor, Ulfric noticed that Ava had the smell of ale on her breath already, meaning she was already drinking, most likely at the New Gnisis Cornerclub, or at her house Hjerim. Deciding it was best to talk to her, he started by saying,
"It seems I'm not the only one that favors drinking away my sorrows on Heart's Day. And judging by the smell of ale, you must of been already drinking at the Cornerclub." He said.
"I was for quite a while, until Ambarys decided that I had enough with one of the patrons escorting me back to Hjerim, only I stayed for ten minuets, then went here." A sigh then escaped Ava's mouth. "I hate Heart's Day. This holiday is just a reminder of my failed love life with how I'm the only one of my siblings that is still single."
Ulfric then responded, "Your not the only one that isn't a fan of Heart's Day. Like you, this holiday also reminds me of my failed love life, since for quite a few years now, women would only be after me for my title, not for me in general."
Taking a long drink from her ale, Ava spoke again. "What I hate the most about this holiday so much, besides its a reminder of me still being single, is that my parents, with my Breton father that's nothing more but a jerk to me, who's always constantly trying to force me into relationships with the spoiled rotten sons of his tavern buddies. And there's my manipulative Imperial mother, who does nothing more but whines about how I'm not going to stay young forever, along with always complaining about how me joining the Fighters Guild back home in Bruma was far too dangerous, and to top it all off, her always bragging how wonderful and amazing my younger sister is and how she has such a wonderful future son-in-law is and wants me to be exactly like her and give up everything I love just to breed, not caring that I want to marry when I'm ready. No matter how many times I tell them I will find someone on my own terms, but they never listen to me."
"Sounds like to me you hate your parents." Ulfric said to her, before taking a drink of ale from the second bottle he was given when he spoke again. "I don't mean to be rude Ava, but have you ever been with anyone?" he questioned.
Answering him with sincere honesty, "I never been in any relationship. I never even had a date."
The last part had Ulfric confused. "A date?"
"In Cyrodiil, relationships take time, sometimes a matter of months to years, with dates included to help the couple get to know one-another better, and for them to spend time alone together." Ava said, answering the Jarl's question. "Its why my Heart's Day tradition for the last six years has been going to inns and taverns and drinking to cope with my lousy love life, along with telling anyone who would actually listen to my failed love life."
"That has also been my Heart's Day tradition for quite a few years as well, only without telling anyone about my failed love life. Unless they ask me." Ulfric replied to Ava.
After finishing her fourth bottle of ale, Ava placed the money for the ales on the bar table and got up from her seat, only to turn towards Ulfric and say, "Wanna come back to Hjriem and do some more drinking about how lousy our love lives are?"
Finishing up his own ale, he sat the now empty bottle down next to the other ones and paid for his drinks. "I would like." he said, then they both left the inn.
Windstad Manor 4th Era, year 204, 16th of Sun's Dawn/Heart's Day
It was safe to that neither Ulfric nor Ava expected this. Here they were a two years later, exactly on Heart's Day, only instead of being in an inn, drowning their sorrows in ale and talking about their failed love lives, the two were at Ava's house in Morthal, Windstad Manor. The two of them were in bed, in the master bedroom, both coming down from very passionate love making some odd hours earlier.
"Happy Heart's Day wife." Ulfric said to the woman that became his wife seven months ago during the month of Last Seed, who happened to be beneath him with mainly her face being flushed from the amount of pleasure he gave her, and from the amount of sweat drenching her wonderful, curvy frame.
"And happy Heart's Day to you too husband." Ava replied back to the large man above her, whose body was also drenched in sweat like hers from their intense love making.
The two then started another round of love making, when finally, the two were down-right exhausted that they both fell asleep in each-others arms, both now enjoying Heart's Day after years of hating it.