章 362: A List of Demands
A Bonus Chapter, this comes by HIRAK BARUA. Sorry for making it late.
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*10 Days until the Battle of Winterhold*
Jon sent the Cattle Butcher to arrange an audience for him with Harkon. He stood in the middle of the hall once again with the same dirty clothes he went to battle the Forsworn with and his state was still as miserable as yesterday but he at least regained most of his Magicka after a day's rest.
"I heard you can bear the Cattle Barn no longer, did it break you in just a day? I am disappointed." Harkon spoke.
"Hehe! Please, Lord Harkon, both you and I know that we won't be seeing each other unless you hear that." Jon said with a smile that got on Harkon's nerves right away.
"But…" Jon continued, "I have come to a realization that I should comply with Your Excellency until we finish our quest, you get your Elder Scrolls and I get my way. Until, then I, Jon Dare will faithfully help you in the matter regarding our… mutual Fate."
Jon said with a bright smile on his half draugr face. Harkon was no fool and could clearly feel the trickery in Jon's tone.
"I don't like this, lock him up until he starts begging for it." With a lazy deep voice, Harkon dismissed Jon's offer right away.
"Seriously? Not taking my offer? Tsk! Having cold feet from mortal tricks, are we now, Lord Harkon?" Jon said with a grin.
Harkon didn't withstand the insult and in a beeline of blood mist, he charged at Jon with his face twisting into a bestial appearance and his claws extended over ten inches each.
Jon was ready and retreated ten meters away. As he evaded Harkon's initial attack, a mace jumped from his shadow and clashed with Harkon a couple of times before the latter stops.
Harkon looked at the Mace meaningfully.
"So this is the Mace of Lord Molag Bal! You were hiding it all that time?" Harkon seemed not happy with the fact.
"Yep, what about it? This mace was given to me by Molag Bal, you want it this badly?" Jon played with [Molag's Mace] in front of Harkon to tease him.
Harkon snorted in disdain.
"Humph! I had the honor of bearing it in battle once but I don't stand a mortal carrying that weapon with no respect. Marx!"
Harkon ridiculed Jon then called out for someone. With that call, the space twisted beside Harkon and a Dremora appeared.
Unlike Xikil, this Dremora seemed capable and mighty.
"What is it, Harkon?" Marx the Dremora spoke in his race's annoying voice.
"You informed me that this Mortal is carrying the Lord's Mace but why is it still with him. He should never bear it." Harkon spoke.
"That is not for you to decide, Vampire. The mortal here is the bearer of the Mace and that's final. The amount of Souls he took with the Mace qualifies him." Marx said.
"Humph!"
"And you were told to use him wisely by Lord Molag. Not to fight with him. Remember your place, Harkon. No one is pleased with your late…"
"Leave!"
Harkon banished the Dremora before he says more. He then looked with cold eyes at Jon.
"Out with it, Mortal, where are the Scrolls?" Harkon asked.
"The closest one is here." Jon casually replied.
"Here?" Harkon frowned.
"On a cosmological scale, yes. Here on Mundus, and close at that. The other one is outside Mundus."
Harkon didn't seem to like Jon's answer and persisted further.
"I want an exact location."
"No can do."
"Say again?" Harkon stepped towards Jon with anger oozing from his eyes.
"I can't, I know where the first scroll is but not like exactly. Also, we'll need it to find the second. That's how things go." Jon said with confidence.
Harkon seemed a bit amused.
"So you want me to send you out after the scroll?"
"Yes. I know where to look but I'll need you and your people to help me. If you want assurance, I'll do whatever you want. Shackle my Magic or put me in chains." Jon put his hands together as a sign of good faith.
Harkon looked at Jon and thought. By the look of Jon's heartbeats, he wasn't lying but not completely.
Well, whatever Jon was planning to will get crushed by his power anyway. Harkon was confident.
"So, let's say it once again. Your end of the bargain is for me to find your precious family along with you Elder Scrolls. Now, my end of the bargain… here is a list of my demands." Jon said forking out a paper from his pocket.
The room got noisy by Jon's annoying boldness. The Vampires around were clearly displeased.
A Noble Vampire standing beside Harkon walked to Jon and snatched the paper disdainfully, he then looked at it and his face twisted.
"What is it, Faren?" Harkon asked.
"Humph, this Mortal is playing something for sure." Faren Sadri, Harkon's court alchemist, handed the paper to Harkon.
Harkon looked at it then looked at Jon.
"A proper living quarters, a suitable suit of armor and human-friendly meals?"
"Three per day!" Jon smiled broadly, "If I am staying in such a wonderful place then I should make the most of it, shouldn't I?"
The Vampires around the hall were baffled.
"A Mortal staying in the quarters, he must be joking. Your place is among the Cattle, prey." One vampire was infuriated.
"And he wants us to give him an armor. What next? A pet Gargoyle?" Another mocked.
"Did you hear the last one, human food? Here? Where humans are food? Can't he do with the normal cattle fodder?" A third said in disdain.
"Quiet."
It was Harkon who quietened them. He then looked at Jon and narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
"Two Elder Scrolls for just that?" Harkon raised the paper between two fingers.
Jon grinned for Harkon's sharpness.
"Well… the Lord of Volkihar Clan surely has a hefty reward for whoever brings him the two Elder Scrolls he is after. By then, I am sure Lord Harkon may consider looking into my state. Vampirism can help regrowing limbs and reconstructing damaged parts, no?" Jon was clearly referring to his face, foot and fingers.
At Jon's remarks, Harkon smiled.
"Indeed. I think you will not regret that choice." Harkon smiled and looked at his subjects.
"I think so too. Immortality will look good on me." Jon smiled brightly.
"My Lord, I think this Mortal is plotting to draw you outside and lead you that monster woman." Faren spoke with concern referring to Alfe.
"Don't worry about it, I won't be going out. He will be shackled and sent with Fura and Garan." Harkon said, "We also will make him wear a Shadow Cloak to not let any hint of signal draw out."
Faren bowed his head and agreed. Harkon just assigned two of the strongest Vampire Lords to act as Jon handlers. Fura was the Vampire who stood her ground against Jonrad and Garan is an insanely powerful mage who pressured Nurina too much during the fight.
Jon was completely unconcerned by whatever they were thinking about. He has his own plan that most certainly does not include becoming a damn vampire.
Harkon had one more warning to say.
"Boy, remember well. The Fate of the little town you built won't be good if you decided to do anything funny."
Jon's face almost stiffened for a second and his tongue was about to smite down Harkon with a shout but he calmed himself.
"Fine, I guess I should prepare for the journey then." Jon spoke up.
"No, you are leaving right now." Harkon seemed to be insisting.
"Not a problem, I'll free my schedule." Jon complied easily.
"Where is the Scroll then?"
"I hear its calling from the Pale." Jon said.
"Fura, Garan, handle things and take the best men with you. If the Mortal is not lying then any shortcoming will be on you two. Failure is not an option."
""Yes, Lord Harkon."" The two replied.
Fura and Garan took Jon inside the castle, as their lord stated, Jon can take an armor and a pick small room before departing.
At the end of the day, Jon and Harkon had the same smile behind their expressionless faces and the same idea in their heads.
'How easy!' They thought.
***
The meeting between Alfe, Nurina and Alina concluded that they should leave things for Jon and handle the storm that his identity conjured.
It was the second day after they returned to Winterhold and things were going out of hand on a rapid scale. Everything that happened on the day of the battle was spreading across Skyrim like hot potatoes.
Jon Dare is in truth Jonhild Firemane, the Firemanes' cursed child that was not supposed to live, a mass killer, an evil mage, a Necromancer and was taken by the Forsworn then the Vampires.
By the end of the day, anyone who wanted to add more rumors about Jon was accepted without thinking whether it is true or false. Not only that, the battle with the Vampires showed Nurina's skills as a Necromancer too and the headache was coming from every nook and cranny.
The first to cause trouble were the people. Those who knew Jon from the beginning were helping to keep the Thane's reputation but after the massive rise in Winterhold's population, these people were not clearly the majority anymore.
The second to cause problems were the business partners. Many started freezing ties with the Dare Dragon Company and some wanted to terminate their partnership contracts on the spot. Also, some clans that were against the Firemanes 17 years ago started to send threats to the Company.
The third party to appear were the 'Vigilantes of Stendarr'. They came into Winterhold in a big team and barged in Jon's house when Alina was out. Jullanar, who was still not recovering, let loose of her spiders and a massive fight happened. Alina then came in with the Jarl then arrested the Vigils and executed their leader on the spot. The 'Vigil of Stendarr' are not an evil group but they are zealots of the God of Justice. They heard that Jon used the Undead openly and wielded what looked like a Daedric artifact that snares the souls of people.
Jon really wasn't humble in that fight against the Forsworn.
The chaos was spreading around Winterhold like a plague and some people actually stated migrating not wanting to stay in the Den of the Demon whose name is Jon Dare.
Alina was truly swift while dealing with these problems.
Any troublemakers were taken care of in various means, the migration was carried out smoothly as more of those poisonous people stay was more disadvantageous for Winterhold, the threats were replied at with threats and the messengers were often killed.
She may be a Noble Lady and a fine War Commander but she was no negotiator or a diplomat, these tricky stuff were left for a trickster like Jon.
In the span of one day, Alina managed to be the brutal beauty that ruled with fear and iron. The [Storm Rage Crown] on her head was the harbinger of demise to who angers the Lady Boss.
To ensure that they stick together, the Firemanes and the Moonbaldes started moving to Winterhold and keep large portions of their forces there. Together with Jon's company, they stand a chance against any enemies.
Still, the news that frustrated Alina was how a number of the Hidden Clan have stated a meeting together to determine their relationship with the Firemanes. These were the clans that helped the Thalmor chase Hilda 17 years ago. From the reports she got, some of the ones who attended the meeting were High Elves, possibly Thalmor.
This was who the diplomatics went.
Still, right now the House was in Chaos. Hilda wasn't recovered from the shock after Jon's second disappearance, Jonrad was no better, Jull was getting healthier slowly but depression got to her and many were having a hard time.
There was not much to do for Alina at the end of that night. She closed her ledgers and headed home.
The words that Jon said to her right before he gets taken by the Vampires were still vivid in memory. She felt that Jon was preparing something for an emergency. The hint that Jon left for her when she threw the branch for him led her to the vault in the basement of the house. Once she opened and saw the treasurers gathered in, she didn't bother and reached the other end of the vault.
There was a Light Screen unusually installed on the other wall of the vault. Alina wouldn't have noticed it if she didn't know what it is or wasn't looking for anything unusual.
As she examined the Light Screen, the screen activated and reflected the image of Alina like a mirror.
<Identity Confirmed! Please place your palm on the screen.>
"Huh?" Alina knew the Light Screens have some absurd functions but talking wasn't one of them.
"What are you?" She asked with no response.
She then decided to put her palm on the screen.
<Fingerprints confirmed!>
<Welcome, Admin Alina. As your first time in the Operation and Planning Room, you will be walked through a quick tutorial.>
The wall behind the light Screen opened like a door to show a spiral staircase behind it going down further underground and the vault's door was locked on its own.
<Please, proceed.>
"... What absurdity did Jon create this time?" Alina felt a vibe of goosebumps go through her body.
She went down the stairs and arrived at a room beneath the vault.
"We had a basement to our basement all along!"
In that room, there was a large light Screen fixed on the table and a number of strange devices that were emitting magic power.
Alina saw a comfortable chair in front of the central light screen, a panel with few rows of buttons, a mouse-like object.
<Welcome, Second Admin. My name is Alexa and this is the Central Control Room. Please, take a seat.>
"I knew it." Alina's cheeks pouted. "More of Jon's women I have to deal with now."
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