Chapter 226: A New Harbinger Rises IV
"I see it's been hard on you, but I may have a solution that can satisfy Aventus and resolve the burden on Whiterun if you'd like to hear me out?" I tell him as I lean against the right table.
"What is it you have in mind, Silvantus?" Balgruuf questions as he focuses his attention back on me, leaning forward in anticipation.
"Helgen is in need of people, laborers, farmers, tradesmen, and the like. I offer a chance to take them in and relieve the pressure on Whiterun." I tell him.
"Ha, ha, ha! Wonderful! I'll send them right away!" Balgruuf laughs excitedly.
"Don't celebrate too soon, there's a couple conditions that'll need to be fulfilled first, Balgruuf." I say with a devilish smile making Serana raise her eyebrows slightly as Balgruuf sighs.
"Of course there is, there always is with you..." Balgruuf says in exasperation, standing up from his throne and making his way to the table I was leaning on. Pouring two drinks and handing one to me as he takes a drink.
"Alright, speak plainly Silvantus, what do you need?" Balgruuf says after finishing his drink.
"You make me sound like some common bandit, but you're right. This will cost you and won't solve the problem right away, but it will solve the problem." I assure him as he rolls his eyes before motioning me to continue as he pours himself another round.
I sip my drink before continuing, "We'll only take a few dozen every week, at least to begin with. The first few waves should be those with families, and we'll need some funds to ensure they have food and clothing for the journey. We'll cover their escort and the dismantling of that shanty town outside the walls as it gets cleared out." Telling him my proposed solution as he stares into his drink as he's weighing his options.
"I won't provide funds... But, I will make sure they are clothed and feed before they leave. That's the best I can offer." Balgruuf says countering my offer.
"That will work, I'll get word to my men to start preparing the escort and we should be ready for the first refugees in a week's time." I promise him as I finish off my drink.
"With that settled... When should I prepare myself for the funeral rites of the fallen?" Balgruuf asks, his face becoming mournful and downcast.
"We will begin at sunset in a few hours, the ceremony will take quite some time. I'd appreciate your permission to construct additional pyres outside the city. Skjor will be sent off in the skyforge first before continuing the rites for the rest of the fallen." I tell him as I stand up from the table I was leaning on.
"Aye, you can do that, and I'll be sure to make it to Skjor's funeral rites. He was one fine warrior. Clashed blades a couple times in tournaments over the years." Balgruuf says wistfully.
"Perhaps we could organize a tournament in his honor? I'm sure he'd have loved that." I tell Balgruuf with a pat on his shoulders as I start to make my way towards the exit as Serana follows behind.
"That he would... See you in a few hours." Balgruuf says, looking at his empty cup as I push open the door to find Irileth dutifully waiting outside.
"We're done, and you can go back in now, Irileth." I tell her as we leave the palace, getting a nod in affirmation as she makes her way through the door before it even closes behind us.
"She was quick to return to the jarl's side, don't you think?" Serana says once the door closes and we've made our way to the first landing.
"What do you mean?" I ask her a little confused.
"Don't tell me that you didn't catch how quickly her heart was racing outside that door?" Serana asks looking at me like I'm thick in the head.
"What? No, she wouldn't-... Would she?" I ask as I get lost in thought before I hear Serana laughing, making me look back and see her wipe a tear from her eye.
"You're messing with me, aren't you?" I say rolling my eyes at her.
"Only a little, but got you to stop fretting, didn't I?" Serana says with a faint smile as we make our way down the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah, let's get back to being prickly and rude, can't having you falling for me now." I joke back making her roll her eyes in turn.
"In your dreams, little pup. Just didn't want my guide home drowning himself in melancholy. Now, I should probably make myself scarce. I'll go stay in that inn for a while until your funeral is over." Serana says as she breaks away and heads off on her own to the Bannered Mare, making me smile before I turn to head to the mead hall of the Companions.
Going inside the hall I find the lesser wounded Companions milling about, some mourning their fallen, others are drinking, and a handful are eating to get their strength up after the battle.
All eyes turn to me, some with apprehension and others awe as I make my way to a seat of honor at the feasting table where I hear one of the Nords from earlier, Frathnar, Farkas said his name was mumbles not to quietly, "Some Harbinger, never seen one dressed up like one of those pompous jarl's. Dressed up like some milk drinker before even seeing our dead put to rest."
His words drawing the attention of those gathered in the hall, making them look between the two of us knowing what he intended from his words.
"Huff... I went to get permission from the Jarl and request he honor our fallen brothers and sisters with his presence at the pyres I plan to have constructed outside the city this day." I say with a heavy sigh, hoping that this could have waited until Skjor was at least properly sent off, but I begin undoing my fine cloak and removing my shirt as I place them down at the chair I had been about to sit on.
(Author's Note: Extremely sorry! Class is starting tomorrow and had to take care of my textbooks and other materials. Hope you enjoy!)
Chapter 227: A New Harbinger Rises V
With my nice clothes safe, I crack my knuckles and neck as I pull my arms up in a fighting stance and motion him to come closer.
"Since you can't wait to be put in your place, come on then! I don't have all day to entertain petulant drunkards!" I shout at Frathnar, taunting him into making the first move.
"Don't think I'll show you any mercy just because we lost a few unworthy warriors! I'll put you down like every other before you!" Frathnar shouts bringing his gauntletes fists back as he prepares to land a heavy blow on my right side as he clears the table he had previously been sitting at with a mighty leap and bound.
I pull back and use my forearms to guide the strike to my left side, throwing Frathnar off balance and prepare to wrap him in a headlock when he uses the momentum from the wide strike to roll forward and pop up to my side, catch an opening in my guard to send a quick jab into my side making me wince in surprise as I readjust my guard.
"Ah! It seems the big, bad orc was all talk and no- Gah!" Frathnar taunts as his guard lowers and I'm able to connect with his jaw, making him reel back as I lunge forward with a sharp knee to his stomach, doubling him over.
As he's bent over I feel his arms lock around my waist as he lifts me up and slams me head first into the floor as he let's our weight bring us down to the ground.
Rolling onto my back, I feel me head ringing as Frathnar moves to mount me and begins pummeling my chest and face before I'm able to pull my knees up and knock him off his mount long enough to roll us and pin him beneath me as I begin returning the beating he was laying down ten fold.
However his armored gauntlets take the brunt of my blows making me feel my knuckles splitting with every blow, but with each strike I feel more rage and power flowing through me as I hit faster and harder with each successive blow. Until...
CRACK
I feel the metal of the gauntlets shatter beneath my latest blow, taking advantage of Frathnar's shock, I wrench his left arm up and across his chest before pinning it down with my right arm and tearing back his forearm with all my might in my left hand, snapping his arm back in a direction his elbow is not supposed to bend.
And with his one functioning arm holding the broken arm, I'm able to pull back both my fists and land a heavy strike directly to his forehead knocking him out cold and leaving the mead hall dead silent...
Before a single slow clap begins, drawing more and more until it's a thunderous applause, washing over me like the waves of a storm.
I stand as I feel the blood running down my face, I hold my bruised and cracked knuckles high above my head, the sting cutting deeper as the adrenaline begins to subside and I motion the crowd to be silent.
It takes several moments, but I get their undivided attention, spitting the blood that's been welling up in my mouth to the fire pit I order them, "Now that that's done I want every able-bodied warrior to leave the city gates to prepare the pyres for tonight! And you! Take him to the temple!" I say, pointing to a random warrior as I leave the main hall heading down to find Kodlak's old room as I hear the shuffling of feet leaving the hall behind me.
Once in the room I take a bucket of fresh water that had been sitting on the floor along with a rag and begin wiping the blood off as I use [Heal] to mend my bruises, cuts, and cracked bones feeling the pain subside as the magic begins to flow through and around me.
After cleaning myself up I begin looking around Kodlak's room.
During my search I find a journal, a map with several markings, a stash of a several hundred septims, and a spare set of Harbinger armor, that seems close enough to my size that I'm able to put it on with only minor pinching and tightness in certain areas.
I quickly flip through the journal with nothing to eye-catching except his last entry.
[The loss of Vilkas was too much... I feel the weight of this curse dragging me to the Hunting Grounds day by day... I was approached by a member of the Silver Hand the other day. I wanted to cut him down but I could barely muster the will to lift my sword, ready to accept my fate I simply sat down and awaited the fatal blow that would send me to my accursed afterlife... But it never came, instead they offered me a cure and a way to atone for my sins... They wished for me to summon the chapters from across Skyrim and those in neighboring lands so that they can rip this infection out at the roots. I asked them to offer my brothers and sisters the same cure, but the man said there was not enough hags in the whole of Skyrim to save those afflicted with the curse. But offered me a map, and the chance to take those infected after the purge to their camps were we can then hunt down the hagravens in order to make their cure.]
[I've asked Eorlund to reforge Wuuthrad with silver to use in the coming purge, not that he knows what it was for. He'd have never agreed if he knew, but if I'm to have any chance against Skjor I'll need that axe. I hope he falls quickly, I'm not sure how much fight is left in these old bones.]
[This is the day... I pray Stendar guides my blade to victory and that he takes mercy on those about to fall to it.]
I shake my head after reading his last couple entries before inspecting the map.
The map has several locations marked on it, mainly hagraven camps, with a handful of markings indicating the location of several Silver Hand locations.
Knock, knock...
"Harbinger, I heard you had to deal with a wolf who dared bare their fangs at you. I come baring food and a poultice from the apothecary." I hear a familiar voice calling from beyond my door.
(Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry I missed last week. School work is rough, but I should be on top of it at least until I get to this semesters research paper. Hope you enjoy this one.)
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