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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
4-202-02-16 06:26
Proudspire Manor, Solitud, Haafingar, Skyrim
We leave the city without delay. Not even any shopping this time. However, I remember at the last moment that I wanted to take care of that shipment for the cider merchant Morilla of Morpork. So we head for the harbor. I don't think this will take long.
The harbor is almost empty at this early hour. We can see two bored-looking guards, as well as vague silhouettes of some people farther southerly.
After quick whispered instructions, we step up to the guards. They cheerfully greet Jordis whom they evidently know from earlier. I ask the guards if they know a High Elf named Inuril. One of them points down the quay towards a docked ship and a shack. I give a sign to Jenassa and we walk that way.
Indeed, there's a very tall man wearing typical thalmor clothes. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder and am pleased to notice that Jordis and Lydia are casually walking the guards away from us.
The tall man confirms that his name is Inuril. He's eating an apple.
I know Morilla wants him dead, but I have no reason to create more bloodshed than is strictly necessary. So I start by telling Inuril Morilla's apples are poisoned.
I curse my stupidity, but then I try to make him believe it's a poison that works slowly, and doesn't he find it strange that Morilla gave them up so easily? Morilla wanted to take revenge on him for he-knows-what. (I have, of course, no idea what it is Morilla hates him for, but I hope he does.)
Inuril hesitates for a few seconds, and then it no longer matters, because Jenassa stabs him from behind. I quickly search his corpse and find the documents for the apple shipment. We roll the body over the edge of the quay as quietly as possible. No one seems to be seeing us.
I arrange at the harbor office to have what's left of the apples delivered to Morpork. Then we travel across the moor to Morthal where everything seems peaceful. Even children are playing on the street.
I stop only to buy Black Soul Gems from the wizard Falion. They're very rare. But I won't waste time on saying hello to the jarl, let alone shopping. I absolutely want to be in Bitchen by tonight.
The directest route goes straight across the mountains to Hviterun. That means passing by Labyrinthian. Naturally, we're way beyond having any fear of ice trolls by now, but I still can't help feeling apprehensive about those creepy stone birds. Silly as it may seem to you, I'm glad I won't have to walk past them alone. (And if they are not really birds but some fable monsters, I don't want to know it.)
Having left the huge stone structures and a few newlydead trolls behind, we go through the mountain pass and reach the wide open grassland northwest of Hviterun. Quite near us is Silent Moons Camp – that bandit nest with a wide stone staircase that had an unusual smithing forge.
A little ahead of my followers as usual, I run in a straight line towards Hviterun without even bothering to check if there is anybody there. At the foot of those stairs, several bandits attack me. While my followers shoot arrows into them, I just charge at them with my sword. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" asks Lydia when the battle is over. Yeah, come to think of it, maybe I was. I've been feeling increasingly gloomy after we've left Solitud. I'm sorry. I'll be more careful from now on.
Without wasting time on looking for the bandits inside the structure, we run straight to Hviterun. Near the gate, I hesitate a little and then decide not to enter the city proper. We just pay a brief visit to the inn in the southwestern suburb. The proprietress Malene says it's business as usual, and Sabjorn at the Honningbrew Meadery tells us the same thing. We also exchange a few words with Alfhild who is on her way home to the Battle-Born Farm. Yes, it would seem things are as peaceful here as can be. I'm very grateful for that.
We're going to travel via Valtheim Towers and Fort Amol. That would mean crossing the White River by the bridge in the picture above and turning left.
When we're on the opposite bank and out of the guards' sight, I call a halt. We sit down on the roadside slope and I tell Jenassa that I need help with my self-doubts. I hurry to emphasize that this is not about slutty behavior (which, as you may remember, she forbade me to worry about and indeed I haven't). She acknowledges my explanation with a slight smile.
"What I'm worried about is my tendency to ruin my relationships," I tell the girls. "I chased Lorm away, I couldn't keep Erik who was in love with me, I've been neglecting Oudin, I had Aranath get bored with me, I've been using Gregor and Valdimar just for amusement, and now I'm jeopardizing my relationship with Yrsarald because of some stupid war. There are times I feel I'm a complete failure as a woman. And don't tell me I can't expect to have a normal relationship while I'm a traveling warrior. I've told that to myself a hundred times and it's not helping. Tell me something sensible."
Jenassa looks pensively at the Hviterun palace we can see beyond the big rock across the road. Then she turns to me. "I've been feeling a failure as a woman while having a steady relationship. I was living in the back room of an inn, and it didn't look like I could ever inspire my man to strive for something more."
"The point is," continues Lydia, "pitying yourself and finding reasons to think of yourself as a failure is the easiest thing in the world."
"The skill we need to learn is to pay attention to good things that are all around us," says Jenassa.
I smile, feeling good for the first time today.
After a few moments of silence, Lydia says: "We want people around us to be happy, and that's a good thing, but we mustn't think we're responsible for other people's happiness."
"...because you can't give more than you have," adds Jenassa.
"You can't be required to give more than you have."
"Right," confirms Jenassa. "You have to make the best of what you've got, and not feel guilty for not having the resources for righting all the wrongs in the world."
"...or the strength."
"...or not being in the mood for it at the moment."
They're so right. I stand up and hug them happily. "Thanks, girls. Let's go."
We see a couple of lovely hares and a couple of lovely elks on our way to Valtheim.
There's a Redguard woman outside Valtheim who demands that we pay a "road toll". I know I ought to kill her, but I feel kind of fed up with killing people. So I just tell her to shove off. Fortunately she has enough sense not to try anything.
The nature of the western Eastmarch is very beautiful. We meet a few travelers and get past Fort Amol without being harassed. (Or has the fortress been taken over by soldiers? I can no longer remember.)
I had planned on traveling by the road, bypassing Darkwater and Vernim Wood, but when we reach the Darkwater bridge, I feel I want to drop in just for a moment.
We don't do anything special, just speak a few words to a guard and then run across the hot pool area towards the Windhelm–Bitchen highway. We pass through Vernim Wood without stopping and soon reach Shor.
I realize Bitchen is practically a stone's throw away and it's half past 3 in the afternoon, so we have plenty of time. We step into Gorn's shop. That often grumpy man is unusually happy. It would appear that the soldiers' taking over the fortress between here and Bitchen has been a real blessing for Shor. They now get a lot of business from travelers and the city people. Indeed, Gorn has enough money to buy all my excess wares. We are both very pleased.
The blacksmith Filnjar is also joyful and thanks me for arranging the peace. Then we stop for a minute to talk to a group of miners including Sylgja, and then we run to Bitchen.
The old Khajiit trader Dro'marash outside the city gate informs me that people have been reporting a few skirmishes here and there, but by and large the power transfer has been peaceful. Let's hope its rollback will be as smooth. Although, on second thought, there is no reason why the imps couldn't remain here even when we restore Jarl Laila to power. I can't remember if I've told you, but even though The Rift was technically stork territory, Laila wasn't exactly a fan of Ulfric. It's just that when you've got the stork headquarters practically at your doorstep, it's not easy to remain loyal to the Empire. But Laila always made it very clear that the interests of her people take precedence over everything else in the world.
It'll be a lot more difficult in Morpork, but I hope the storks now stationed there will not want to serve a gang of murderers and extortionists – especially so after I tell them about the rumors that the Silver-Bloods have actually organized forn attacks in order to scare people and thereby undermine Jarl Igmund's authority.
That's what goes through my head as me and my followers step in through the city gate greeted enthusiastically by the guard on duty, and walk towards the inn and the marketplace. The sky is partially cloudy, but there is no rain. The streets are strangely empty.
I greet my friends the market traders Marise, Madesi and Brand-Shei, but I won't stay for a longer conversation, because I want to take a look inside the palace first, alone. On my way there, I'm rather astonished to see Nivenor, the bored wife of the rich man Bolli stumble on the street very drunk.
Everything looks normal in the palace. That Black-Briar trash is acting as if she was actually a jarl. Maul is standing at his post, keeping an eye on everything and everyone. He greets me with a surprisingly warm smile and asks where Lydia is. I inform him we have some things to do, but she'll be with him tonight, I promise.
The Imperial guards inside keep serious faces in front of Maven and Maul, but the ones outside make no secret of their admiration for me the Dragonborn. I am most pleased. I'm getting increasingly optimistic about my tonight's mission. I'll have Lydia go and lure Maul away from the palace after the so-called jarl has gone to sleep, and the guards look like they will make no difficulties.
Still, killing Maven and her henchmen is not everything. The city needs to be administered after that. Jarl Laila is unlikely to return until there is an agreement as to whose soldiers will be keeping order in The Rift, so for some time they will have to do without a jarl here. Besides, Laila is clearly too soft and idealistic to be allowed to rule without competent guidance.
Therefore I've come up with an idea of establishing a sort of citizen council consisting of five people. I figure that is large enough so that no one can force his will upon the others, and yet small enough to be able to actually make decisions without getting lost in endless debates. Me and my followers have thoroughly discussed many candidates and ended up with Mjoll, Madesi, Brand-Shei, Maul and Bolli. Mjoll is a profoundly honest woman eager to establish law and order in the city. She hates the Thieves' Guild and will have a tough time sitting at the same table with Maul, but we need the Thieves' Guild's support for the time being and we have strong influence on Maul through Lydia. Madesi and Brand-Shei are respectable traders and my unquestionable allies. Bolli is not too smart, but he's wealthy and one of the most important entrepreneurs in the city. This council, even though its composition may change over time, should remain working permanently to watch over Laila and keep her from being manipulated by another Anuriel. There's no way of knowing in advance how this previously unheard of form of government will work, but obviously things can't go on in The Rift the way they used to.
Now, quite frankly, there is one rather delicate problem. I've been unsure if ought to tell you about it at all, but I'll tell now. We need Lydia to keep Maul away from the palace, but unfortunately she is having her period. She assures me it's all right – she'll keep her panties on and take care of Maul with her mouth. He's a big boy, he knows women have menstruations. I am skeptical about any man wanting to be with a woman on the rag, but we've discussed it back and forth in recent days and Lydia is confident she can pull it off. Well, she knows Maul a lot better than I do.
Between now and bedtime, what I need to do is to actually tell the prospective members of the government about my plans. However, I can well imagine Maven might have agents lurking around among people. I can't risk them reporting to her that I might be up to something suspicious. That's why I walk casually from person to person, making conversation the way I always do.
I find an opportunity to talk to Mjoll out of anyone else's earshot. I tell her I'm going to entrust her with a role in the city government after ousting Maven which will happen tonight. I tell her I have an official order for Maven's arrest and beseech her not to say a word to anyone and, for that matter, not to walk around looking happy. She'd better go home with her boyfriend and figure out a way to while away the hours until I send for her.
When it's about closing time at the marketplace, I bring Madesi to my house. Him being my boyfriend, that can impossibly make anyone suspicious. Then I tell him all about my plan and ask him if he would do me this favor of helping to manage the city at least for some time. I know he's not a politician (and, quite frankly, not a dominant personality, but I won't say that to his face), but I've seen he's intelligent and really good with people and he's the only one whom I can unconditionally trust. I tell him I can even compensate him for his loss of business.
Madesi says it won't be necessary and he'll help me all right, but can we continue talking in bed?
Oh... Sure. I hadn't thought about that. Silly me.
When Madesi has gotten more urgent matters off his... well, you know what I'm talking about, I ask him if he thinks Brand-Shei would also agree to participate in the citizen council I've conceived. Madesi thinks he would and he would be trustworthy too, but the people might dislike it if there was too much alien influence. I tell him that's why I'm including Maul and Bolli, so that three members out of five will be Nords. Madesi still thinks I might consider someone like Haelga, even though he personally would feel better to have his friend and colleague Brand-Shei for moral support.
Haelga! Now that's a good idea, because a woman with her lifestyle is bound to know many people's intimate secrets that might help keep them in line when necessary. However, her loyalties are entirely uncertain, as well as her interest in this kind of work. Well, there are many more subtle points worth considering, but I guess I'd better not bore you any more with all that politics.
Madesi and I leave the house well before midnight, so Lydia can use it with Maul a little later. I stroll to the orphanage and talk a little with Constance. Then I return to the market square and chat with the streetwalker Lavinia until I realize she's actually working now and my presence might discourage men from approaching her, so I walk on. I meet up with Jenassa and Jordis and we examine the back alleys we've never ventured into so far. But for the patrolling guards, they look ideal places for robbing people careless enough to go there alone.
At quarter to 3 at night, we enter the palace. Maul is gone by now, of course. I show the guards General Tullius's order for the Black-Briar family's arrest. I learn that several of the imp guards are actually locals and know only too well what kind of a person Maven is. Far from making any trouble, they are eager to assist me, but I order them to stay downstairs and make sure everything is quiet. We don't want the court wizard Wylandriah to be disturbed in her sleep. That gets a grin out of them.
The operation goes like clockwork. After the guards have explained us the layout of the sleeping quarters, me and my two followers sneak up the stairs to Maven's bedroom. She is sleeping on a large bed with her back towards us. I walk up to her and stick a dagger into her back several times. It's a real shame to kill that snake instantly and painlessly, but I don't want to risk Wylandriah hearing anything and possibly deciding to defend her new boss. Maybe I'll be able to satisfy my sadistic urges by helping to interrogate Anuriel. And maybe I ought to learn to be more compassionate and merciful. And maybe I shouldn't be gabbing with you in my head while I have an extremely important job to do.
When we enter Hemming Black-Briar's bedroom, he turns himself restlessly in his sleep and moans, but a couple of seconds later, he lies quietly in a pool of blood.
I go and tell the guards the criminals lost their lives while resisting arrest, and their bodies are to be brought to the temple for the funeral rites in the morning. The girls and I, we hurry to the Black-Briar Mansion. I use the key taken from Maven's corpse and rush into Ingun Black-Briar's bedroom. To my disappointment, she is not there:
Maybe now that her mother lives in the jarl's palace, Ingun has chosen to move to the luxurious bedroom upstairs?
No, she's not there either. We search the whole house. It's empty. I wonder if Ingun sensed the danger somehow or she simply got too absorbed in her experiments at Elgrim's alchemy shop. We go to the shop where I very cautiously try the doorknob. The door is locked and the lights inside seem to be off. I'm reluctant to break in and potentially create undue scare. It's unlikely Ingun will sleep here anyway. We'd better return to the Black-Briar Manor.
I hope very much Lydia will be able to keep Maul busy until the morning, so he won't learn the news too soon and get stupid ideas. I had planned on staying at the inn which is even free tonight because it's a traditional holiday called Hearts' Day on which the good people of Skyrim apparently meet with their lovers and do things never talked about afterwards. However, with Ingun still at large (possibly in connection with this very holiday, in which case we have really no chance of guessing where she might be), we'd better spend the night in her house.
Apart from that, the inn may be uncomfortably crowded tonight. So I will sleep in the big bedroom upstairs and Jenassa and Jordis will take turns keeping guard just inside the entrance while the other one can use the other half of the bed.
next awakening
