U.O.T.W. Chapter 7 A Stranger In Town

• Posted by Sotek April 11, 2015 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - 1,718 views

  

  

   

  Whiterun was a far cry of any typical Imperial city. It was also the home of the jarl Balgruuf, and of the Companions. The city itself was built up from the rock plateau that served as its foundations. Inside the city’s walls the city was divided into three separate districts. The lowest district known as ‘The plains district’ consisted mainly of the shops and the market. From here you could find a blacksmith, a general store, an alchemist shop and some market traders. However unlike most of the other cities, the shops were nicely spread out whereas in other city’s like Solitude, it was hard to distinguish one shop from another.

   

  The first shop Sotek past was a Blacksmiths called ‘The Warmaiden’s’. As he walked over a small bridge, he could make out the necessary tools of the blacksmith’s trade situated between the shop and a small stream. All the fittings were there, a forge, smelter, workbench, grinding wheel, even a tanning rack. By the entrance of the shop, Sotek noticed a woman standing there wearing a blacksmith’s apron. She was talking to a soldier about a weapon supply delivery. As Sotek passed he watched her out of the corner of his eyes. She stopped talking and just stared at him. Consciously Sotek started fiddling with his scabbard.

   

  Walking past the blacksmiths and a few other shops and buildings he found himself in a small market. Everyone was buying and selling their wares. Gradually as they noticed him, each person stopped and just stared at him, just like the blacksmith did. Some people stopped in mid conversation. One person was counting out loud. As the Nord caught a glimpse of Sotek, he froze, holding on to a single gold coin which he had taken from a pouch that was tied to his belt.

   

  Sotek looked at all the people around him, that’s when it struck him. There were no Argonians at all, no Khajiits either. He started to wonder if Whiterun was a good destination after all. As he walked up the steps to the middle section of the city everyone resumed whatever they were doing before they stopped, just like someone pressed a pause button then moments later they released it thereby allowing everyone to carry on with their lives.

   

  Sotek then found himself in the middle section of Whiterun. The wind district. This section seemed somewhat smaller of the two but in reality it cloaked around the plains district. On the left side was a temple made from thick wooden beams. To Sotek’s right, stone steps led up a small bank to a pebbled walkway which surrounded a large building with a upturned boat for a roof. Farkas whom Sotek had met earlier, was sitting on the top step looking towards the market. Sotek lifted his hand up and hailed Farkas, who in turn just glanced at him before turning back to the market ignoring Soteks greeting completely. In the middle of the wind district was a strange white tree surrounded by a ring of benches. The first thing Sotek noticed with the tree was the fact that it was dead. Not a single leaf was on it at all...

   

  “It’s an Gildergreen tree”

  Sotek looked across and saw a Priestess sitting on a bench under the tree.

   

  “It is dead?” Sotek enquired.

  “Yes and no. I’m hoping one day to restore it. One day, maybe”. With that simple statement, she smiled.

   

  That smile was the first smile Sotek received that felt genuine, one that gave warmth to a heavy heart, or could dry up tears. The sort of smile that had the power to break the darkest of moods and bring forth the light from within. Sotek smiled back then proceeded up the steps to the highest level known as ‘The cloud district’.

   

  This district was the smallest of the three. The only building here (and also the largest) was the most impressive. Dragonsreach…

   

  The giant building which was made from stone and large timber was the home of the Jarl. One guard patrolled the outside pathways while another guard was static, he stood at the front of a small but wide bridge. They both watched him cautiously as he crossed the bridge before entering Dragonsreach.