There I am, sneaking along, bow drawn, ready to lodge an arrow betwixt the eyeballs of some stick worshipping Forsworn. Ever so slowly creeping forward... staying in the shadows... master of stealth.... then all of a sudden...

Lydia: *cough cough*

FFS woman. I am trying to be all ninja skills and you choose now to clear your throat??

I did the only thing that seemed appropriate in the situation and cut her head off. It seems to have cured her cough.

Well if we are talking Alchemy I believe the left testicle of a manticore (ground to a fine powder) and at least three nostrils from hogs born under the light of a red moon during a harvest festival are the most important ingredients.

If you're trying to be "all ninja skills", why do you have a follower?

He's a lone wolf from the Wolverine school of Lone Wolfing.

To carry all the tankards I pick up on the way, obviously.

Cough syrup only treats symptoms.

In The Elder Scrolls, you just need Cure Disease potions to instantly treat every ailment, unless of course the plot requires the disease to be untreatable. What use is there for cough syrup?

Lydia's just coughing/clearing her throat because she thinks your character's dumb and is trying not to laugh. She's a smart aleck like that.

I see. So, cutting her head off probably was the best course of action?

And Lydia, I may be dumb, But you're carrying a dumb man's tankard collection.

Must... not... make... VGCats... joke...

Do it. You know you want to.