Chapitre 276: Back to Whiterun
This sponsored chapter comes to you by Joshua Burns!
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*14th of Last Seed (August), 4E 197*
Each time I see Whiterun, my head goes fully back to the game. This place is the most iconic city in Skyrim and the one most of the players stayed in. It is beautiful, colorful and an exemplary city.
Right now we are in Summer and the White River is the best place in the whole Skyrim for anyone to dip themselves in. It is not like the frozen trinity Winterhold, Windhelm and Dawnstar, the stinky Riften, the annoying Solitude and the bugs infested Falkreath. Of course the Karth River in Markarth is good choice if you are oblivious about the Forsworn.
But Whiterun, it has its flavor.
After two years, I came back to Whiterun with some plans in mind as usual and I also wanted to meet a lot of people. Thankfully, everyone gets to go to the Bannered Mare Inn at some point of their day and there where we went.
"We heard that you vexed the Empire and Eastern Skyrim a few times. Bad rumors are going around about you."
"Really! And?"
"Word is… you are womanizer, bloodthirsty, hedonist, scammer and filthy rich."
I tried to refute but thinking of each one carefully.
"... Guilty as charged."
""Hahaha!""
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"It has been a long time, my friend. You really made quite the name for yourself out there." Jon Battle-Born, who I haven't seen in a long time, spoke to me as he was sitting across the table.
"You haven't changed much! Neither Solitude nor the Bards College could change you at all."
"Way I see it, I changed a lot already. Solitude is all about money and one must earn his keep."
"So no more sitting around, eh?"
"You are right, my friend. I have been out there calling people Milkdrinkers for a long time but I wasn't doing much better myself. I now have some thoughts of changing my ways." He said.
"Good. Come to Winterhold and I will sink you with work head to toe."
"Winterhold? Nay, I'd rather keep it to myself and start here."
"Listen to me. I need people I can trust to do even the slightest jobs in Winterhold. You know what happened a few months ago, right?"
"What happened?"
"The Bards College sent some people to snoop around me in Winterhold. Word is…"
"Thane Erikur." Battle-Born continued my words for me.
"So you're aware?"
"Who's not? Most of the bad rumors about you are because of him. You really got under his skin from that time."
"You mean the tournament? He really pissed me off that day." I remembered when Erikur made action on us and got Battle-Born and Wulfur locked up for a night.
"Yeah, it was bad. So, he hired the Bards College at last?" Battle-Born seemed to have anticipated it.
"What can you tell me about them? I was waiting to ask you so bad about them." I said.
"Well, that's quite the tale if you ask me. Viarmo the High Elf headmaster of the Bards College is one slimy elf, he uses his connection and students to infiltrate the halls of the rich and Jarls. Most people drop their guard around the bards so we know a lot of what happens behind the closed doors. Viarmo has no master and would work with any side if he wished for it, he spies of the High King, on the Empire, on Jarl Ulfric and even on the Thalmor. Whoever wants to know a thing just have to pay Viarmo."
"Oh, an information agency. How amusing! So, you and Svidi. Any of you got recruited?"
"Are you kidding, work such a shameful job. A bard should die a thousand time before snooping on their patrons." Battle-Born seemed truly disgusted.
"Come on, man. That would make quite the career for yourself being a secret agent."
"Spare me of your fantasies, Dare." He said as he drank.
"Haha, whatever! I wouldn't have missed such an opportunity though."
"Well, even if we wanted, Svidi and I would never fit their standards."
"Yeah, you are too proud and she is too shy."
"Exactly. So, who did they send after you?"
"A chick called Lisette."
"That Breton lass! She is quite the asset."
"I know. She was taken into custody and under watch. I intend to have a talk with Viarmo about her."
"He will deny everything."
"I won't give him a headache, I will only make a trade."
"Do whatever you like but don't make an enemy out of him or he will sell all that he knows about you to your enemies with a cheap price."
"I know, I am already careful." I dismissed his worries and changed the topic. "How are the preparations on your part?"
"Oh! That… father went into an argument with me when I came back. There seems to be something between us and the Grey-Manes."
"This soon?"
"You know what is it?" He asked.
"... Ulfric Stormcloak is sending his word around. Seems like the Grey-Manes are favoring his side while the Battle-Borns are on the Empire's side."
"His Side? The Empire's Side? What are you talking about? Are they going to start a war?" Battle-Born's face turned serious and angry.
I was seriously not sure of how to answer him but I had to say it anyway.
"It seems that Ulfric is aiming big this time. He asked me to join his cause and stand against the Imperial Machine that follows the will of the enemies of men."
"... Gods! This is madness? You are telling me that Nords are pointing steel at each other?"
"It would seem so, the good thing about Whiterun is that the Grey-Manes and the Battle-Borns have had each other's back for generations and such a fight will only make them cut ties and scorn at each other. No actual harm will happen between the two except…"
"Olfina and I…"
"Exactly, if you remember the vision of the old soothsayer two years ago."
It was the vision that I paid the soothsayer to tell Jon Battle-Born. Without it, his relationship with Olfina will get harmed badly.
"By this, are we too late?" He asked.
"... No, I still have a few strings I will pull for you. You just have to do your part and request Olfina's hand from Eorlund Grey-Mane on time."
"Fine. Thanks."
"Come on, man. It's the least I can do."
Jon Battle-Born and I drank together after that. I was having my own agenda of making the thing between him and Olfina Grey-Mane work.
The two largest families in Whiterun will have a feud at this rate and the trade of the south will worsen. Whiterun is the largest hub and the two families are strong traders. It will harm the north greatly if they got into a feud.
Also, this will make the situation about the Civil War easier to handle. Not only Winterhold that is neutral but Whiterun too. The Jarl doesn't want the war and having the two big families on good terms will increase the probability of having peace in the hold.
Anyway, it wasn't long since I met Jon Battle-Born, he was in a good mood but I had to pull him back to reality and focus on the problem that might occur if he didn't marry Olfina Grey-Mane as soon as possible.
And of course, I introduced him to the rest of the gang, he didn't realize who Jull is as he was with us when we caught her after she tried to assassinate me in Solitude but her appearance has changed too much. I will tell him later but let's not cause a scene here.
The ones I was waiting for were Akara and Ysolda. After asking around, I learned that Akara is now a mercenary for the trading caravans and Ysolda is a broker and mediator of sorts. Even though I sent them letters and they replied, they didn't really accept my invitation to Winterhold so I saw this as a good opportunity to invite them once again. As I said before, I need the people I can trust.
I waited for Wulfur and Bjorna who went to visit the Jorrvaskr of the Companions. Wulfur has a good relationship with the people there and he seemed to have hit it off with Farkas, one of the rising stars among the Companions. I also want to talk to those people to patron them in Winterhold. The Companions have a thin existence in each hold as they are the alternative of the Fighters Guild in Skyrim. Having them in Winterhold is good for both sides as Winterhold is where the first Companions of Ysgramor landed on Tamriel and in Winterhold, we have both the tombs of Ysgramor and his son Yngol.
I don't even mind becoming a Companion myself if there is a need. The 'College of Winterhold' and the 'Companions' were all the only righteous factions the player can join in the game and I see a lot of benefit in having both factions on my side. Wulfur will be the best candidate I have to link the Companions and Winterhold.
An hour passed and Wulfur finally arrived, he greeted Battle-Born and joined us.
"So, where is my sister? She is not here yet?"
"Nope, she's still with Olfina in Dragonsreach." Battle-Born replied.
When we came here three hours ago and bumped into Jon Battle-Born, we asked him about Svidi and it seemed that she performed a few times in the Bannered Mare and became very popular, popular enough for the Jarl of Whiterun, Balgruuf the Greater, to be her patron for today.
"... Sigh! The little girl has grown." Wulfur said with complicated feelings.
"Yes, she really did." I had the same feeling too.
Svidi is Wulf's sister and practically mine too. I killed Sibbi Black-Briar mainly to avoid any trouble from arising around her in Solitude.
"Be careful now, she likes to go by the name Lynly Star-Sung. If you said her name in public, she may lash at you."
""Yeah yeah, we know."" Wulfur and I replied.
We are aware of her insecurity about her old fashioned name. She thinks that it will affect her future or something.
We saw Jon Battle-Born off as he had to wrap up the situation with his family and go request the hand of Olfina as soon as he can. I will support him too when the time is right.
But now, the five of us had another thing to do.
"Let's go visit Ysolda then." I said as I rallied everyone up.
"So, Ysolda… I heard about her a few times." Alina asked.
"Yes, she and Jon were like the partners in every crime. Whenever they go into hiding and talk quietly about something, you can just know that there is a disaster about to befall." Wulfur said everything. I was really trying to hide that
"Oh! Seem fun. We can ask her about all the things we need to have leverage on Jon." Jullanar said.
"Nothing will make her happier." Wulfur said.
I feel bad about this but whatever. Ysolda's house was not far from the inn so the five of us arrived there soon.
Wulf knocked on the door and we waited. As the house was really small, we could hear and feel the movement inside. Some footsteps were moving around while hiding some stuff here and there. I am not sure what is going on but I don't want to get involved with Ysolda's madness.
Finally, someone answered the door.
"Who's it?" That was Ysolda's voice.
"Hey, Ysolda! It's Wulfur and Jon" Wulf replied.
"..."
It seemed that we were unexpected.
"I'll open right away."
Another round of running around happened inside the house and well all felt it. It looks like we won't be staying for long as it seemed we are a bother in such a small place.
Finally, the door opened.
Two girls popped out their heads from the door. A Nord girl with short hair and a beautiful face alongside a Khajiit girl with snow white fur and sharp eyes.
After all that time, Ysolda and Akara.
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Chapitre 277: Star-Sung
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We all gathered in Ysolda's house.
"A Thane of an entire hold, a businessman and an adventurer. I always knew you have a talent for everything. Mama is proud." Ysolda said with a sly smile, I shook my head while smiling wryly.
After inviting us in, Akara and Ysolda kept staring at me for a long time, probably because of the unexpected increase in my size. That's why I had to tell Ysolda everything first.
"And what about you? How are you fairing with life?" I asked.
"I am good. I do a lot of business and life is really good."
"So, you managed to become a trader?" Wulfur asked.
"... No, it is still hard. The business in Whiterun is really crowded."
"Then why didn't you take my offer and come to Winterhold, we are desperate for good traders." I said.
"Business prefers a good base that can reach all the places it needs. Whiterun is the most suitable place for my business."
"If you don't mind me asking, what business do you do?" Alina asked.
"I trade with the Khajiit Caravans, they don't go inside the cities so I buy from them and sell inside. Of course, I face a lot of pressure from the General Goods Stores around the town but I manage in the end." Ysolda replied.
"That doesn't sound like a solid business, Ysolda. It will be best for you to take Jon's offer." Wulfur said.
"In Winterhold? Where it is freezing cold even in the middle of Summer? Come on, Wulf, you know I like an easy life."
I don't think Ysolda will agree anyway. She must have her reasons to run her business that way. What I know is that after the death of her parents, there was no much inheritance for her due debts and now she is trying to regain all what her parents had on her own.
"What about you, Akara?" I asked.
"This one likes to live here. The place is warm enough and the business is good." Akara replied in her iconic third person speech style.
"What do you do?" Wulfur asked.
"She works as Caravan Guard and the only job she takes is the Whiterun - Riften trade route." Ysolda replied instead.
Wulfur and I made understanding faces, it seems that Akara is after her parents killer.
"You know I offered you help in that matter, you don't have to do it alone." I spoke to her.
"... It's okay. This one can do it." She said.
"If you ever need help, come to Winterhold."
"Winterhold you say? The Pale itself is too cold for Khajiit, what do think of a place called 'Winterhold' would do for Akara?" She said.
"... Fair point."
"Exactly! It is so cold here in Skyrim, yet this one sees Nords in walking around the snow in sandals. Madness!"
We couldn't help but laugh at Akara's remark. It is hard for any other race to adapt like how Nords do, even the fur of the Khajiit doesn't help.
Anyway, the good thing about today was that we could still get along after all that time. We spent some time at Ysolda's then we decided to return to the inn. Our stay in Whiterun was quiet and we didn't want to attract anyone's attention so we moved quietly.
As we were leaving, Ysolda asked to have a word with me on the side.
"There is that thing I want your help with."
"Okay, I am glad to help. Do you want money or anything…"
"No no, keep your money, what I need is a strange request."
"Shoot."
"If you could bring me a Mammoth tusk, I would really appreciate it." She said.
"A mammoth tusk?"
"Yes, it is a weird thing to ask for but I really need one, some of my trading partners are really asking for one and the other traders are high on alert, it would be good if you could secure me one soon."
It was really an unusual request. Usually, Ysolda would ask for anything from me without being shy or feeling weird… also the request itself, it happened in the game too.
Ysolda asks the player for a mammoth tusk and that's it. No real reason behind it.
The thing is… the game events are 3 to 4 years from now. Is she going to look for a single Mammoth Tusk for that time? These things are not that rare or expensive.
I thought for a second but decided not to ponder for long. Something is strange but I am not that curious or going to meddle in Ysolda's business even though she is acting suspiciously.
"Fine, here is your tusk." I clapped my hand and a mammoth tusk appeared out of thin air… or rather from the Cube.
"Woah! You were carrying one… how?"
"... Do I really need to say it?"
"Yes, you are the magic boy, hehe. Thanks… but this one is too big to fit." Ysolda said as she was about to take it from me but I took it away.
"Too big to fit? Hey! What are you planning to do with it?" I felt bad about it.
Ysolda paused for a second and she glared at me. It seems that our thoughts met.
"Hey, what did you think of just now?"
"You're the one who said is too big."
"... Are you even listening to yourself?" She said as she took the mammoth tusk from me, she then looked at me and spoke. "Don't even think of any funny ideas. You have two beautiful ladies following you now and I know a lot of your dark history."
"Humph, I don't hide anything from them so don't even think of threatening me with that." I grinned at her.
"Oh really? Should I go and ask them about the Horker Tusk shipment?"
As she said so, the grin on my face disappeared.
"Yes, I thought so." She smiled as she went away.
Damn you, Ysolda! This girl knows too much.
The 'Horker Tusk shipment'! I thought that secret died in Riften's Ratway… this was a scandal!
I couldn't help but to shake off the bad ideas from my head and sigh.
As I returned to my group and we gathered back in the inn. Across the fire pit in the Bannered Mare, there was a girl singing an unusual song and all the patrons gathered around her.
Wulfur and I smiled ear to ear.
"That's Svidi."
The little girl we once knew has grown taller than we thought. It seemed the family genes of her and Wulfur have finally caught up to her. She became brighter and more beautiful than before. She was wearing an expensive blue dress and held her lute. Everything quietened down and she sang.
"♪ Oh, misty eye of the mountain below ♪
♪ Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls ♪
♪ And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke ♪
♪ Keep watching over Durin's sons ♪"
[A/n: I See Fire - Ed Sheeren]
Oh, goodness! I am so glad I taught her that song. She literally made the time freeze. Until she finished the song, the world didn't dare to interrupt her.
***
"That was epic!" Even Jull, who has high standards in music, couldn't utter anything but that.
"Thanks." Svidi was happy with the group's reaction.
Each one introduced themselves to Svidi after we got the hugs of course. Even Nefertiti found Svidi more approachable and decided to take a nap on her leg.
"I am really happy that you boys came today, I heard a lot about you in Solitude and even here in Whiterun."
"Really… there is a lot of false news though." I said as I remembered what Jon Battle-Born told me today.
"Yeah, haha! Something about you scoundrels acting heroic or whatever." Svidi said with an innocent laugh.
Yep, she took it completely the wrong way. Even Wulf made a disheartened face.
"So, I need details. How did you manage to scam a jarl, Jon?"
"Yeah, that's a long story." I said as I patted Wulfur who seemed to be breaking into tears.
"Tell us about yourself first. These boys told us many stories about you." Alina managed to divert the subject.
"Oh, alright! I studied for more than two years away from my brothers. Thanks to the money you guys kept sending me, I didn't have to work and graduated earlier than most. I also learned horsemanship and trained on the magic books Jon kept sending. However, my real joy was in the messages Wulfur and Jon would send every month."
"... Yeah, we should have included that we are not scamming people though." Wulfur was still depressed.
"Hehehe! Come on, brother. You don't think I don't know, do you? Not everything out there is just bad rumors, you know. There people whose lives were saved thanks to that business of yours. You don't like hurting people and Jon likes to act evil while doing good things. Just two big scary boys with fluffy hearts."
As she said so, Wulf and I almost cried. How can such an angel exist?
"Did you guys realize that she just played you around?"
"No we didn't, but we are still too happy."
"Right."
Svidi is that kind of girl who looks innocent and pure whatever she does. She is a person who no one can see as bad.
"So, did you face any hard time at Solitude?" Alina asked.
"Not at all. If Battle-Born can't solve it, then mentioning my brothers' names would make everything go smooth. I am afraid I am getting used to it." Svidi said with a smile.
Even the way she said it can't make anyone feel mad at her.
"And how was the trip back to Whiterun?"
"Nothing unusual. I came back, met Ysolda and Akara, sang in the inn a few times and was invited in Dragonsreach so Olfina Grey-Mane came with me. And here we are, I didn't even spend more than two weeks here already."
"Things are good then."
"Yes, pretty much… oh! Once I heard that Jon and Wulf are now engaged, I always knew that I shouldn't come from Solitude empty-handed. What do you think, I brought some Cyrodilic Silk and Elven Velvet from Solitude, come with me."
Svidi took the girls and left Wulf and me behind. It was their first time meeting even though we wrote to her a lot about them so they have to bond for a while. Nefertiti went into the Cube and left decided to continue her nap in there.
Wulf and I sighed and looked at each other.
"You noticed, right?" I said.
"Yeah. She is hiding something. Have any clue?" Wulf said.
"Nope. According to Battle-Born, the people in Dragonsreach and here in the inn treated her really well especially when they knew her relation to us."
"Hmmm… what else then?"
"I don't want to think about things too much but I think it has something to do with Ysolda. Svidi would normally stay at Ysolda's instead of the inn… also, Ysolda was acting weird."
I told him what happened and we became silent for a while.
"So, that mammoth tusk? Did you just give it to her?"
"I can trace back if you want. I left a mark on it… I was a bit curious what would it be used for."
"... Seriously, man?!"
"Wh- Why are you looking at me like that? Girls use Horker Tusks, not Mammoth Tusks."
"You seem to be very knowledgeable about this stuff."
"I own a bathhouse for Dibella's sake."
"Fine fine, don't bring the gods in this. Can you trace the tusk then?" Wulf asked.
"Yeah pretty easy…" I traced it but I noticed something.
"What? Why are you silent?"
"Hmm! Something is not right… the tusk is outside Whiterun?"
"At this hour? We were clearly less than an hour away from midnight."
Wulf and I nodded to each other went out of the inn right away.
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