UJON - Book Three, Part One, In Which A Title Is Bestowed

• Posted by Gnewna August 5, 2015 - Filed in TSC: Skyrim - #Altmer  #Skyrim  #UJON  - 1,362 views

  15th Hearth Fire

   

  Spoke to Rumarin. He took it fairly well. I don’t think he’ll tell anyone else. Gods, it’s a long time since I felt as though I could trust someone, it’s strange. He actually seemed more worried about me than anything. Well, no, he was also quite worried about himself, but then, that’s why I had to tell him. It wouldn’t be fair to keep him around without knowing why I changed my face, why I’ve still got to be cautious. And, of course, I needed him to know enough not to put us both in danger with an ill-placed jest in the wrong situation. I suspect I won’t be able to avoid Elenwen indefinitely, but I’d like our next meeting to be on my terms if at all possible. Still, I can’t help but feel like it would almost have been better if he’d been angry. Not because I want him to hate me or any nonsense like that, just because, well, his constant cheery persona – it’s got to be an act, surely? Not that he’s not pleasant company, but… I don’t know. I’d like to know the real him, I suppose, and I don’t think he’s showing me that, yet. Maybe that’s why he’s been so good about it? I’m not the only one hiding part of myself. Or maybe I’m tired and a little drunk. Probably as well he stayed at the stables tonight. I might have ended up picking a fight or something.

   

  To Riften tomorrow, I think. I promised I’d introduce Rumarin to Dagri’Lon. That should be interesting. And I’ve got a couple of jobs to collect my pay for, Delvin was saying he might have something special when I got back. And then to Whiterun, probably, I got a message asking me to come and see the Jarl “at my earliest convenience.” Must’ve been written by the steward, I don’t think Nords write like that.

   

   

  16th Hearth Fire

   

  Delvin smiled as he heard her approach. She was getting better, he thought, though a bit too reliant on that muffling spell. He'd told her last time she was there, Illusion was well and good if you had the talent for it, but a truly excellent sneak could creep around in heavy armour if he wanted to, no magic nonsense, and still not raise the alarm. Still, she was more like a carthorse than a mammoth now, and whether or not she was a good sneak, she was a bloody good thief. A good balance of hard work and luck, and the gods knew the Guild hadn't seen much of either lately. He'd heard other things about her, but they didn't concern him much.

   

  "Good, you're back. I was starting to think one o' them dragons'd gobbled you up!" The look between her and the other Elf made him wonder if some of what he'd heard might be true after all. Well, well, that was bound to be lucky, right? "Anyway, here's your cut, gel. Mind if I have a word with your young lady in private, chum?" 

   

  "She's not, ah, that is... Ooh, look, I think I see an excuse to escape from an awkward situation calling me over there!" Ha, Delvin thought, a funny High Elf, now that you didn't see every day. 

   

  "Now then, gel, you been causing quite a stir, ain't ya? We actually got a request from one of the most powerful families in Whiterun: the Battle-Borns. Make your way up there and look for Olfrid. He says he's got a matter that requires a delicate touch, and I suggested you for the job. Think you can fit it into your busy schedule?"

   

  She grinned, and he was pretty sure she didn't do that often. "In Whiterun? I think I can fit it in, yes."

   

  "That's my gel!" Oh, he knew she was likely the oldest person in the Guild, but Delvin had had an Altmer sweetheart once, and he knew age didn't really work the same way for them. She probably had a good twenty years on her friend, but from what he understood of it, it was more like two humans in their early and late twenties. It was a bit like dog years, only sort of all bunched up at the start, they were seen as adults in their early forties, but then they could live to, what, twenty times that, maybe a bit more. A healthy Altmer in his 200s was in the prime of life, when even the Dunmer were often starting to wind down into retirement around that age, although those fetchers often banked on a century or two in retirement. He shook his head and snapped back to himself.

   

  "Sorry, gel, I was miles away. Right, like I say, this needs to be top priority, speak to Olfrid, he says it's urgent, and he'll pay better the sooner it's done. I'm sure I don't have to tell someone like yourself that discretion is very much key, here?"

   

  "Of course, Delvin. And don't worry, I'll probably end up investing my cut in more training from you - do you think you could train Rumarin a bit, as well? I know he's not Guild, but..."

   

  Delvin eyed the younger Altmer, ostentatiously minding his own business by the bar. "Good grief, gel, I can't make a silk purse from a guar's ear, but I'll give it a go."

   

   

  18th Hearth Fire

   

  Well, I didn't really expect much of Dagri'Lon, Rumarin wants to try one last time before giving up. I wonder if Enthir at the college knows anyone, he seems the type. Anyway, we've been in Whiterun for a couple of days, felt like a rest would be a good idea. And of course I had Olfrid's job to do. Not difficult, by any means, but it did require a certain amount of preparation and a little acting for the guards. I also spoke to Balgruuf about the letter Avenicci sent, I should probably have reported back to him after fighting the Dragon, but I was a mess, Arissa took herself off to Falkreath on foot and I practically leapt into the carriage with Rumarin. As we rode off, there was a great, well, Shout from the mountain to the East, Balgruuf says it was the Greybeards, the monastic order who study the Voice, and that I should have visited them straight away up their mountain. Hopefully they have the usual slightly shaky grasp on time that goes with monks. 

   

  He also wanted to let me know that he's appointed me Thane of Whiterun. This appears to give me the right to purchase a home in the city (does everyone else rent, or is Ysolda a Thane, too? Nords...) and one of the young guards who helped fight the Dragon has been appointed as some sort of bodyguard. She's quite rude. I like her. Tomorrow, we'll go to Ivarstead, a little village at the bottom of the mountain, and make the climb. I've bought some new boots with a special enchantment that makes one more sure-footed on ice (and sort of bumpy soles which probably help, too). I must get a proper coat, though, the furs are warm, but they're not easy to move in, or to cast spells. Lydia seemed terribly excited about the Greybeards, so I think I'll bring her along, and I'll bring Rumarin on the off chance there's a crazy mage hiding out up there. Don't fancy having to make that climb more often than I have to, I've seen that mountain, I can easily believe it really is the tallest in Tamriel. 

   

  I've had a look at the house I'm alllowed to buy, it's quite sweet. Not sure whether I actually want to buy it, it would be nice to have somewhere safe to leave things, but it seems a little permanent. Avenicci said it's not currently furnished, but that if I buy it, he'd let me live in a lodge on the way to Riverwood rent-free during the renovations. I think I remember seeing the place, near where Arissa got in that ridiculous fight with that bloody spider. 

   

   

  19th Hearth Fire

   

  Camping halfway up the Throat of the World. Absolutely frozen and exhausted. I think we’re about half way up. There hasn’t been too much wildlife, at least, which seems strange, the rest of Skyrim you can’t move five paces without a wolf or a bear attacking you. I’ve been reading these plaques on the way up. All about how Men got the Voice. Nothing so far about Mer. Maybe the Greybeards will know something. I can’t be the first, surely? 

   

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