Ingoknin Chapter 13 – The Helgen Homestead Incident

  • He stayed up half the night getting those reports done he was exhausted.  Falling into a clean bed was a feast for the soul; he slept until the next afternoon.  Refreshed and comfortable that his reports were concealed (as the Imperial courier wouldn't arrive until tomorrow morning) he could now let down his guard and enjoy himself.

     

    The Homestead was a unique Inn as it always had a barrel of brew for the Bosmer observing the Green-pact.   They served different varieties of mead and ale for all palates.  Aranni consumed a few more tankards then intended.  So much so he was singing along with the Bard as were a few fellow Imperial Soldiers and some townsfolk.  The inn was alive with cheer and good music!  He ate like a Jarl played some cards with a few of the men…  The evening was turning out to be pleasurable.

     

    Helgen was standing with the Empire.  With his comrades around him he felt a comfort zone enough so that he was letting lose a little tonight.  Stepping outside in the cool night air he draws in a deep breath and exhales.  The cooler air in the north always makes him feel alive; the stars look like gems strewn across a velvet field.  He feels better then he has in a while. 

     

    “ARANNI get in here quick your gonna miss it!”  One of the soldiers yells from the doorway.

     

    Making haste he sees the two soldier’s arm wrestling…  The Nord twice the size of the Dunmer was losing!!!  “HA, HA, you brute Unger, losing to an elf!”

     

    Everyone was shouting but all in good fun!  When out of the corner of his eye he catches a glimpse of a fair-haired maiden!  

     

    He struts on over.  “Are you following me?”  He slightly slurs his words.

     

    Smiling, “I should ask the same of you…  Names Manllion.”  She extends her delicate hand to him.

     

    “Aranni, mines Aranni, you know what, shhhh….  This is good mead, want one?”  Before she could respond he was ordering her a tankard and himself another one. 

     

    A particularly wicked smile spreads across her face as she thinks like taking taffy from a child

     

    “What’s your name, again...?” (Hic-up)

     

     “Manllion”

     

    “Well Manllion let me tell you sum’in… This here mead is made for us… It’s a special brew for Bosmer.”  Still slurring his words he gulps down the entire tankard. “And you are following me, I was here first!”

     

    Signaling to the barkeep, Stauan, for a re-fill, she slips a little potion into his mead.

     

    “Whatcha doin here? Still trading? “ (Hic-up)

     

    “Aye, plus I thought it be nice to have a bed to sleep on for a change, you?”

     

    “Work I scout for the Imperials.”  (Hic-up) He downplays his roll.  “How long you have been hunting in Skyrim?  Are you from here?”  Oddly his vision is getting blurry.

     

    Manllion waves for another tankard.

     

    “Aye, born here I was, right outside Solitude.  When ma and pa passed I figured the road was for me.”  She lies effortlessly.

     

    “Have…  You…  Ever… (Hic-up)…  Valenwood have you been?”  He is having the worse time putting sentences together and he was feeling dizzy.

     

    “No but I have heard stories.  Always thought I would go there one day but haven’t had the means yet.”

     

    She signals again for more mead.

     

    The room is starting to spin.  He pushes the tankard away and asks “I dance… Would you… You like to dance?” 

     

    “Aye, but I am a horrible dancer.  Much better huntress.”

     

    He takes her hand and swings her around the floor.  She is laughing and smiling…  He is laughing and smiling…  He cannot remember… what’s her name again….?

     

    He really was a good dancer but the effect of the potion and mead was starting to intoxicate him as he glides her into his embrace. 

     

    “Which one is your room?” She smiles seductively at him and runs her fingers through his hair.

     

    “Naw, not…  tell’in, you just want…(hic-up)  you just..  (pointing his finger at her face) are gonna take the rest of my arrows.”  With that he starts laughing and falls over a little bit.

     

    Hmmmp maybe a little too much potion in his mead she thinks…  Steadying him and trying again she says softly “Come on you can tell me.  I just don’t want to be lonely tonight.”  She caresses his face.

     

    “Noooooo… shhhh…listen… you and me can’t do it (shaking his head vigorously)… I am a big shot with the Imperials…yup me a Bosmer…huh… whatcha think of that!” 

     

    “Wow the Imperials… No?” She feigned being impressed.

     

    She looks over to the Inn Keeper Stauan eyes pleding a little help here, he knows who she is.  They had been waiting for a moment like this to get some inside information on the Imperials.  He nods in the direction of the room he gave Aranni.

     

    “Come on Aranni we need to put you to bed.” 

     

    The town folk and soldiers see her leading him to his room and they all start hooting and ribbing it up. Unbeknownst to them Manllion is a Stormcloak right here in the heart of the Imperials she waltzed right in and with any luck will waltz right out again. 

     

    The Nines must have been watching over her because they placed the Bosmer Legate right into her lap. No sooner was she writing to her Jarl telling him no luck when the heavens smiled down and dropped him on her.

     

    Pushing open the door with her foot she half dragged half carried the mer inside.  Then closing the door softly she placed him on the bed.  She began taking off his clothes she had to make it seem like it was just a wild romp between two Bosmer!  Tossing his shirt and boots to one side and untying his leather pants she threw them on the chair his linen cloth tossed over the bed post.  Now to make some noises for the effect and benefit of the Inns patrons.  Taking the bed posts she started to move it back and forth hitting it against the wall.  No-way was he going to wake up even if a Mammoth trampled through! This got a cheer from the crowd outside.  So she made little cooing sounds, some heavy moaning, panting, and mews like it was the best night of her life…  Trying not to laugh at the irony…  It kind of was the best night of her life this sort of stuff filled her with excitement no amount of lovemaking could.  When she thought the crowd had enough food for the fire so to speak she went into stealth mode. 

     

    Looking for his reports; she knew he was up doing them Stauan mentioned this earlier that he didn’t go to sleep until the wee hours of the morning.  She looked everywhere he had a bunch of satchels.  Damn where are they?  She was searching under the bed and that is when something caught her attention…  Sticking out from the mattress she saw the edge of a glass bow…  Why hide a bow? 

     

    Carefully she pulled it out.  It looked like a well crafted bow; no it was a master piece.  Only a true Bosmer craftsman could have made a bow of this caliber.  This meant there was a hiding place!  Her Grandfather taught her that!  Now where could it be, how to access it…  After some fiddling…  There it was she pulled out the scroll.  Unrolled it just to be sure it wasn’t there for “bait”.  Reading the document her hands started to shake… by the NINE!  She jumped up carefully placed the document in her side satchel and quick rolled up a “fake” and stuffed it inside the compartment.  She had to get to Ulfric and Galmar right away!  She slipped the bow back.  She went through a bunch of other knapsacks he had and took some journals and a map she stashed two books in their place that were on the desk then ruffled her hair, pinched her cheeks and her lips, to give them the appearance of being thoroughly kissed.  She walked over to Aranni smiling and kissing his brow she whispered “Thank you.”

     

    With some whooping and cheering from his comrades when they caught her leaving the Legates room she good-naturedly smiled, bowed, and waved her farewell. 

     

    She left the Inn without anyone knowing she carried the fate of Skyrim in her satchel.