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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is largely based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it's inevitably a spoiler.
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previous day
4-201-08-22 09:55
The Bannered Mare, Hviterun, Whiterun, Skyrim
I've slept pretty late this morning. I must hurry to the palace to report on the city guards' sensational fight against the dragon last night. Of course I need to take a bath first. I can't appear in front of a jarl looking any old how, can I?
When I'm ready to depart for the palace, all fresh and clean and shining, it just happens that Saadia, the inn's serving girl crosses my path. A Redguard. I can't help stopping and mentioning to her that some Redguard warriors are looking for a Redguard woman.
Guess what? She goes all pale. Well, maybe not so pale, but she looks quite panicked. It's pretty obvious she's the one those men are after.
Saadia asks me to come into her room upstairs. There she pulls out a dagger and hisses threats at me. I calmly tell her to put the dagger away before she gets hurt. She says she's sorry, and would I help her please, and she has no one else she can trust. Well, are you hard of hearing, bitch? I told you to put the dagger away.
I leave her trembling, and go to the palace. The encounters with Lucia and Heimskr put me back into good mood. I've heard that some people find Heimskr annoying. Me, I think his enthusiasm is so cute. He's like the mascot of Hviterun.
At the palace, they are somewhat reproachful because I took so long. Nevertheless, I am told that I am indeed that mythical hero Dragonborn. I also learn that the strange thunder from yesterday means I'm supposed to go – without delay, naturally – to a place called Throat of the World to meet a group of holy wise men called the Greybeards who appear to have some plans with me. The people in the palace say it to me with great many words, but I'll spare you the mythology.
On a more tangible note, Jarl Balgruuf appoints me a thane of Whiterun which is not only a great honor but I also get assigned a woman named Lydia Soransdotter as my housecarl (that is, an eagerly devoted bodyguard).
I also learn that the fortress ruin we saw on our way to the Halted Stream Camp is called Silent Moons Camp and there's another bandit gang residing there and the jarl wants them eliminated too, now that the first group of bandits is out of the way. I wonder why can't the city guards do it and I'm explained that they are needed to defend the city and keep public order. When a jarl wants a gang of bandits destroyed, he issues a bounty letter promising a reward called bounty to whomever who accomplishes the task. That's how it works in Skyrim.
Fine. Maybe we'll do that tomorrow.
I ask the court wizard Farengar if he can tell me something about that Dragonborn and Greybeards business. He can't, apart from the legend, the summary of which I just heard. However, he seems to be reluctant to let me go, so he mentions there's a mages' college in Winterhold which I can join if I'm interested in magic. Great. Thanks.
Now I go to check out that new bodyguard of mine.
Lydia is not very respectful. I mean, I didn't exactly expect her to fall on her knees, but such familiarity is kind of inappropriate, considering my new exalted status. Admittedly, I've never been much for ritual and protocol, but the theory is that if we're going to do dangerous things together, she is supposed to obey my orders.
That said, Lydia looks like a strong and formidable fighter. Don't get me wrong. She's still quite feminine. She's nothing like that Uthgerd person. Lydia – I'm having the feeling that once we've gotten to know each other a little better, she can be a perfect companion for slaying bad people together as well as sharing my worries and regrets afterwards. Jenassa is just too different for us to ever become really close friends.
Lydia is 21 years old, so I'll definitely stick to my 22. [Laughing; as you may remember, I don't know my exact age.] Lydia's birthday is in early summer, and mine is the 19th of Sun's Dusk which'll be in about 3 months. This mean's I'll be 23 half a year before she turns 22. I hope that'll be sufficient for me to be able to assert my authority.
The jarl gives me a permission to let my followers live in his palace while I don't need them. There's plenty of room to sleep and here they'll have more of a social life. And they can help out the city guards if necessary.
As I understand, it's a Nord tradition that the jarls' houses (can you call them "jarleries"?) are open to the public at all times, and indeed I'm seeing various people go in and out of Dragonsreach during the day.
It's early afternoon. I intend to spend this day in the city. Maybe find myself a boyfriend. Bardslayer has told me the rules. As everyone knows, men like to sleep around, but they don't like women to sleep around. That's why I can only have one boyfriend per location. If I, say, have a boyfriend in Hviterun and then make love to another man in Hviterun, the latter becomes my new boyfriend and the former begins to hate me. Also, changing boyfriends damages my reputation in the eyes of the population in that location.
Well, I don't have a problem with any of the above. I would have known it all without having to be told. It's perfectly logical.
On my way out, I run into Irileth. She still seems to bear a little grudge. [Chuckle]
"I've got my eyes on you," she says as we part. That's all right. As long as it's eyes.
On the street, I have a chat with a little boy Lars who seems to have a conflict with a girl named Braith who has a violent streak. I absent-mindedly promise Lars I'll talk to her on his behalf, but I notice I can't keep that thing with Uthgerd out of my thoughts. I decide to take care of it right now. I'm really afraid of fistfights, but the longer I postpone it, the more this anxiety will eat me up, and to give up my plan altogether – I know I can't do that.
Healing spells are prohibited during a brawl, but no one has said anything about taking a potion that temporarily increases your health by 50 points right before the encounter. I hope it'll be sufficient.
It is. When I approach Uthgerd's table, she is just as acrimonious as I imagined. I think she's actually looking for death. I accept her invitation to have a brawl. She's a strong fighter all right, but my inborn magical Claws are too much even for her. Generally I do all I can to avoid fistfights, because it seems so dishonest to dupe someone with my harmless looks who doesn't know about my special power. Apart from which, hitting other people with your fists is simply disgusting. But I really want that house, and a masculine bitch like Uthgerd is better off dead anyway.
After killing Uthgerd, I take possession of her house and tell Lucia she can live there, as well as keep it in good order for me. She is only too happy to practise the role of a Lady of the House. At least for the time being.
I wonder if the shops here sell smaller chairs.
Or would a blacksmith or a wizard make some for me? (I haven't seen a carpenter anywhere.)
Or would a blacksmith or a wizard make some for me? (I haven't seen a carpenter anywhere.)
On the street, I run into that Braith brat. After a few stern words, she quickly drops her defiant mask and admits she's beating Lars up only because he's too stupid to realize he ought to kiss her. Of course! I should have known. I'll drop Lars a hint and then they'll be able to sort it out.
There's so much to see in Hviterun, so many people to talk to. I learn among other things that Hviterun's two most important families, Gray-Mane and Battle-Born, hate each other's guts. Their old feud has been greatly aggravated by the current war. The Battle-Borns are enthusiastic supporters of the Empire whereas the Gray-Manes are sympathetic to the Stormcloak rebels. By the way, the little boy Lars I met earlier today is a Battle-Born and so is the young man Jon who tried to chat me up a few days ago.
The shopkeeper Belethor, a Breton like me, is very grumpy and sarcastic, at times amusingly so. His shop is the best.
It has already gotten dark by the time I strike up a conversation with an old woman called Fralia Gray-Mane on her way home from the marketplace. She begs my help finding her missing son Thorald, but it can't be talked about on the street, so I ought to visit her house. I promise her I'll drop by later.
I now visit Jorrvaskr, because it has occurred to me that I ought to exchange Heidi for Vera to have a little variety in my team. I also want to check out the men, but they are dissapointing. Their brains seem to be in a haze even when they're sober. Behind Jorrvaskr, I find another city gate which leads to that eastern suburb of which I got a glimpse when I arrived from Riverwood. At this late hour, most of the people are in their houses behind locked doors. However, I meet a man named Yourg who is not bad-looking, at least in the darkness. He has a small house of his own.
Yourg is not bad-looking in light either, but sex is disappointing. Afterwards, he walks me back to the city gate. We don't talk. It occurs to me that should Lucia ever find out I killed Uthgerd to give her a home, she'll be traumatized beyond imagination and hate me forever. I didn't think of it before. Honestly, I didn't think of it before. I'm going to make sure I'll never tell anyone. Not even Lydia.
Yourg and I kiss goodbye and wish each other good night. I now pay a visit to the House Gray-Mane. Fralia introduces me to her other son, Avulstein. He's really good-looking, if I may say so. I should have come here before giving myself to Yourg.
I force my eyes away from Avulstein's and back to Fralia's who has been telling me in the meantime that they believe the authorities of the Empire have imprisoned Thorald and are holding him captive. Fralia says the Gray-Mane's arch-enemies, the Battle-Borns have been so sneery about it that she's sure they know something about it. Unfortunately, Avulstein has to remain hiding in the house, because it's too dangerous for him to be seen. Whoever kidnapped his brother might be looking for him too. That's why she asks me to break into the House of Clan Battle-Born and try to find some documents or notes that might contain a clue to Thorald's fate.
I refrain from telling her that just because I participated in the killing of a dragon doesn't mean I'm a master burglar. I can give it a try. I should be good enough at sneaking. The riskiest part is picking the house lock without being seen. But it shouldn't be too difficult to find a moment at night when the street is empty.
As I rise to leave, I urge Fralia to be extremely careful. I can't avoid casting a quick last glance at Avulstein who has been staring at me all this time. I go to sleep in my new house. Lucia has already fallen asleep in the only bed, so I take the sleeping mat.
next awakening
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