Chapter 6
It was late evening when a knock came at the door. Grabbing a sword from the nearby weapon rack Iona cautiously opened the door just enough to see who was standing outside. Seeing that a well dressed old looking man stood there she put the sword behind the door and opened it to greet her visitor.
“Jalamar?” She inquired
The old man frowned and just replied “may I come in?”
“Of course” Iona answered showing him to a chair by the table. She sat down opposite him and handed him the letter.
“Yes, I wrote this” he said handing it back. “I am the Jalamar you seek.”
Seeing that he didn't continue the conversation she shrugged and just replied. “Well, what's this about? Where's Han-Ei?”
The man shuffled about to get more comfortable on the hard wooden chair. “I knew he would be suitable” he said enthusiastically. “He actually made it through the portal?”
“Yes. But I guess you already know that. Tell me where he went” she demanded.
Jalamar continued to smile at her. “He has been chosen as part of a prophecy – well I did the choosing; it seems I chose wisely; one whom would be suitable for the task at hand.”
“And what task is that!?” Iona said impatiently beginning to grow tired of the man's stalling.
“Far away from here on a remote island two factions of men are once again at war; nothing new, wars have broken out many times between the two factions but this one is different. There is an ancient prophecy where a being named 'the traveller' would come through the ancient portal and put an end to the wars for good for only one of the factions will survive. The traveller will decide who.”
“So what? Sounds like any other prophecy or story I've heard before. Is Han-Ei safe and will he return?”
“Oh yeah he will return alright but not just yet. He's in no present danger, well at least when I last saw him anyway.” Jalamar continued.
“Okay. So where is he?” Iona asked again.
“You cannot follow him. You are not suitable.” Jalamar countered ignoring her question.
“What do you mean? I wasn't killed by the spirit things”
“No, you weren't but the key to the portal is now useless as it can only be used once. Their purpose is no longer required so they simply returned to their realm. I guess they didn't think it was necessary to kill again” Jalamar continued getting up from the table.
Iona jumped up and grabbed his arm. “Woah, you are not going anywhere till you tell me where he has gone.”
Jalamar was very strong despite his appearance and struggled from her grasp making for the door but before he opened it he paused and looked around at her. “If you really want to help him find someone who is close to him who will be willing. There is another way to reach the island... by boat but the journey will take weeks and many sailors deny the island's existence. You yourself must not make the journey for your own sake. Be warned.”
Iona gritted her teeth in frustration and anger sick of the man's riddles. “The island's name?”
“Falskaar” he muttered as he opened the door pausing once more. “The dragonborn can help him and him only. You might want to enquire in Dawnstar about passage to the island.”
With that the man was gone. Iona rushed to the door but the man had simply vanished. She looked around the alleys and returned to Han-Ei's home. Tomorrow she would journey to Solitude to beg the dragonborn for help; there was no way she would leave Han-Ei on his own and she would not risk the journey herself.
Meanwhile Han-Ei stumbled out of the ancient stone temple into pitch dark night. Not even moonlight nor starlight would penetrate the darkness. Wolves howled in the distance along with other unrecognisable predatory animal noises. Deciding it would be best to stay in cover of the temple he pulled the heavy wooden doors shut again and sat down on a stone bench. The only light came from magical torches and there was nothing to make a fire. Hungry and cold he waited it out till morning. He didn't even see the strange old man watching him from the shadows.
3rd of Second Seed 4E203, Whiterun
Iona had decided to get up early to get the first carriage to Whiterun, the first of the cities to visit on her journey northwards. She walked up the main street passing the blacksmiths and another of Teekus's homes which he was gifted upon saving the city from the dragons nearly two years ago. Lydia lived there now keeping the place lived in should Teekus wish to stay there.
The house was a far cry from the mansion in Solitude; it had a stone base with large tree trunks making up the frame with planks of wood in between. Light came through the cracks between the planks and the roof didn't fare much better. It must be very draughty she wondered, no wonder Teekus preferred the solid stone manor house in Solitude to this dump. It was even worse than Honeyside in Riften.
She stopped and peered through one of the shutters for there wasn't even any glass in the windows seeing the fire in the hearth lit with a pot of stew bubbling over the fire. Without another thought she knocked loudly on the door. It wasn't her original intention she was going to go to the tavern to ask of Teekus's whereabouts but seem as she was here...
The door was flung open with force and an angry looking half naked argonian glared at her with impatience. His green scales shone in the morning light emphasising his strong muscular physique. A single amulet hung from his neck which he fidgeted with with one hand, the other on the door handle. “What do you want?” he demanded.
Iona didn't expect to be greeted by the dragonborn himself. “Ttt. Teeekus. I didn't expect...” she stuttered trailing off blushing with embarrassment. She fell to one knee and lowered her head. “Forgive me for the intrusion your magnificence but I came to find you. I was told you would be in Solitude.”
Teekus dropped the frown and angry glare and replaced it with a look of bewilderment. “Well, I travel a lot” he answered looking down at the Nord woman staring at his feet. “You're Iona, Han-Ei's housecarl aren't you?” he asked with a hint of menace in his voice.
“Yes. We need your assistance and given the circumstances between you and Han-Ei I didn't want to come but you are the only one who can help us.” She said lowering her head more.
There was a long pause but finally the argonian spoke. “I have no wish to help him. Whatever situation he has got himself into I'm not going to pull him out of it this time” he answered slamming the door leaving her kneeling on the steps.
Stunned Iona got to her feet and stood gathering her thoughts. She returned to the window and peered inside. Teekus could be seen sitting at the table eating with his back turned. Iona was not one for giving up easily and she gingerly climbed through the window and crept up to the argonian standing on a creaky floorboard as she did so.
Teekus whipped round and was on her in an instant pinning her to the floor, his knee pushed firmly into her back. “Break into my home would you?” He hissed in her ear.
“Please” she begged. “Hear me out. This is important and I don't think you understand the seriousness of this. Remember Solstiem just 4 months ago? Huh? Well this could be equally as important.”
Teekus relaxed and stood up dragging her over to the table pulling her up on to her knees. He stood before her and stared down at her. “What do you know about Mirrak? He snarled.
Teekus was still wearing just a loincloth and realising that the woman could easily see behind the front flap from below put his hand over his groin for modesty bearing his teeth as he did – this woman had not only entered his home without permission she had invaded his privacy as well.
“Please forgive me, I was only suggesting that what Han-Ei has got involved in may be every bit as serious as the threat Mirrak posed.”
Teekus gave a short sarcastic laugh. “I doubt it. Well you had better do some explaining otherwise you are off to the city guard.”
“You mean you will help?” Iona said with hope looking up at him averting her eyes for she had already noticed his loincloth and the lack of privacy it offered.
“I didn't say that. But I do want to hear your story and it has better be worth my time.” He offered. “Just let me put some clothes on first.”
“Thank you sir, thank you she exclaimed thrusting her hands around his ankle and lowering her head towards his foot. Teekus shook her off with disgust. “Don't do that. I hate grovelers. It seems most people I meet want to bow down to me or grovel at my feet as if I'm some sort of king. The others I meet just want to kill me and I'm getting tired of it; I just want to be left in peace. I've done my duty to Tamriel and it's time these people found someone else to bother.”
“You are the dragonborn your magnificence. Technically you are a god to some people. Don't let that fame, fortune and respect go to waste. Many would be jealous and envious of your abilities.”
“There was a time when it mattered to me and I was grateful of the respect I got from races who would normally see Argonians as outcasts but now I don't really care. I'd also prefer it if you called me by my name. It is also not necessary to fall at my feet every time you want to speak to me. Now as I have already stated I will get dressed then I will hear what you have to say. I will then make my decision.”
With that he left to get dressed and as he selected his outfit and armour for the day he smiled wondering what Iona had to say. Admittedly it had become boring since the death of Mirrak several months ago. He felt it was time to settle down and have a family although he much would have preferred another partner than Shahvee. He would never admit to her that he only married her because she was the first female he'd met since the dragon crisis who was willing to mate with him; he had to ensure the dragonborn bloodline continued should he fail.
Teekus wondered what she was doing now - he had grown to like her personality and she was a good companion despite her age and looks. It would be no use leaving her for someone else now especially so now that they had a baby or two on the way.
He thought back about a statement Han-Ei had made once in a drunken stupor that almost cost their friendship previously about wondering why he's married such an old haggard looking female such as Shahvee. He'd even bought him a copy of the 'Lusty Argonian Maid' as a joke to help 'put him in the mood' when he and Shahvee slept together. He also suggested putting a bag over her head and thinking of someone much nicer looking whilst making love. He smiled at this remembering the beating he had gave Han-Ei for that comment. The book, however, did work. Not the bag of course.
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Comments
Lissette - Teekus likes Shahvee's personality but not her looks (well he'd prefer someone nicer) Han-Ei has always made jives about this much to Teekus's annoyance. I have updated it with a reference to this.
Good chapter though. Yay! Falskaar.
Found a couple of errors so I thought I'd point them out. They are all in one paragraph though.
Original paragraph.
“Thankyou sir, thankyou she exclaimed thrusting her ha... more