U.O.T.W. Chapter 105 Homeless

  • Jarl Balgruuf supped from his flask before resting it back on the table in front of him. He took a moment to study the Argonian, Sotek, who was currently sitting in a chair facing not only himself, the Jarl of Whiterun but also the Companion’s Harbinger, Kodlak.

    His finger tapped slowly on the table as he weighed and measured the Argonian. The Dragonborn had in the past few months served both himself and the Harbinger well. The trouble was though that he was also somewhat wild, hard to control and at times, difficult to bring to heel. Like another member of the Companions, Aela.

    Wild rumors about Aela and her ‘secret lover’ flared up within the second month of their relationship. Jarl Balgruuf wasn’t one to listen to idle chit chat but then he wasn’t one to ignore it either. It came to him as a bit of a shock that Aela was now involved with someone. It certainly didn’t matter to him that Aela chose an Argonian to be her lover.

    As he studied Sotek, a thought occurred to him. At some point Aela will make the next move in their relationship. It was destined to happen sooner or later. She wasn’t one to share her emotions with anybody, until now. On three separate occasions, his own guards had locked her up for the night until she calmed down. All this was over men pushing their luck in the hope of a dance or a kiss.

    He smiled discretely to himself as he thought about Aela and her mother.

    ‘She’ll make the next move soon enough. Poor bastard won’t know what hit him, Dragonborn or no Dragonborn. Poor sap’.

    Leaning forwards in his chair, Jarl Balgruuf cleared his throat, lent his elbows on the table and joined his hands together in a single large fist. His head rested thoughtfully on it as he peered across the fire pit at Sotek.

    “That would be me!! So far, by my count, you have managed to set fire to four wheat bales. Three bails were destroyed on one occasion and one the other evening when you couldn’t find those three dead wolves. You remember? The wolves you killed? We have enough problems with crops as it is without you going around burning what the farmers manage to grow. Are you deliberately trying to stage a famine? Not only that but you also damaged the door to the temple when Aela was taken there during that horrible Daedra business”.

    Sotek mentally counted the wheat bales in the hope that the Jarl was wrong. His eyes closed tightly when he realized that the Jarl had actually missed one out. He quickly dismissed the bales and moved on to the next problem, the temple. Turning towards the Harbinger, he found himself on the defensive and spoke somewhat harsher than he actually intended.

    “I didn’t damage the temple door!”

    Kodlak slowly nodded while his frown cut into Sotek like a knife. Sotek leant back in his chair submissively while the Harbinger corrected him.

    “Eorlund spent three hours refitting two hinges. Ask him yourself. Sotek, I am your Harbinger, I don’t make up these things for my amusement”

    Aela shuffled about nervously while she watched the Harbinger’s expressions harden to Sotek’s response. She wasn’t prepared for this event, they both weren’t. All she could do was look on and watch with dread.

    Sotek backed down which was somewhat unusual for him. He knew the Harbinger was a fair man and at the same time he was fully aware of the Jarl’s status. He sheepishly looked at the Jarl and apologized.

    “Sorry, apparently he did. He didn’t know, he was kind of worried at the time”.

    Jarl Balgruuf felt some confusion from what Sotek had said but Kodlak knew the meaning all too well. This was one of the few times when Sotek talked about himself in the ‘third person’. He only did it when he was nervous or submissive. It was usually a sign that he knew he was in the wrong.

    “Jarl Balgruuf, when Sotek says ‘he’ like that he is talking about himself. And speaking of ‘himself’…”

    The Harbinger picked a chair up then placed it next to Sotek before he pointed to Aela.

    “He’s not facing this alone girl… Shift yourself”.

    Aela got up from the table and slowly walked towards Sotek. She stopped then quietly spoke to the Harbinger who noticed her voice was unusually low and heavy.

    “Am I in a lot of trouble?”

    For emphasis, Kodlak pointed to the chair. Aela could see his lips moving but she never heard a single sound. Despite that she knew exactly what he was telling her to do.

    “Move”.

    Feeling nervous, she sat down next to Sotek who promptly held her hand which made her feel stronger knowing he was there.

    A loud ‘cough’ from the direction of Jarl Balgruuf caused Aela to snap to attention. The Jarl’s whole demeanour was one of a tough and capable leader, despite that, he found it hard to keep a straight face. This was down to the next item on his agenda. It was one that amused him but he knew better than to let a fact like that be known. Singling out Sotek, he spoke calmly yet there was a hint of a smirk which tried to creep across his face.

    “I hope you haven’t forgotten the ‘Slaughterfish training’ episode. I haven’t and Proventus most certainly remembers it. He wants you both held accountable and charged. Do you know why he hasn’t charged you both?”

    Aela’s gulp seemed to echo across the hall. No one else notice it but she felt it was so loud that they were bound to. She tried to treat this like she would with any problem but her voice and nerves failed her. The tone was soft and broken as she peered across the room.

    “The Har… Harbinger?”

    Sotek leant back against his chair and let other thoughts run through his mind. Things weren’t making sense.

    ‘What are you up to Jarl, Harbinger’s in on it but in on what? Just what is this all about?’

    For some strange reason Sotek felt more sure of himself than his counterpart and ‘partner in crime’. Quentarii, his mother and his three sisters would often play mind games with him when he was younger. He didn’t know what was going on but he was sure such games were being played now. The air was thick with it.

    “No idea Jarl Balgruuf”.

    “The reason is simple Sotek. The trouble is no one knows what to charge you with. Are you both aware since then we’ve had the guards drag numerous children out of the water on no less than seven different occasions. Each and every time they tried to justify this with the excuse that they are ‘Slaughterfish training’”.

    He lifted up his flagon so he could have another sip of mead but instead of drinking from it, he slowly swirled the alcoholic brew around, forming a miniature whirlpool and watched the froth spin in circles against the sides of the flask. When he started talking again, Aela rolled her eyes which caused the Harbinger to shake his head at her, making Aela’s stomach turn just like the mead in the Jarl’s flask. The Jarl smirked briefly then carried on with his list of ‘grievances’.

    “There have been various complaints of a certain ‘someone’ using dragon shouts late at night. Then there’s the matter of a certain other one who has, and I quote ‘an exceptional pair of lungs’”.

    Aela’s cheeks became flushed and she turned away so no one could look at her face. She twisted her head around until she could see the door behind her. Such was the tension in her neck that it had started to ache. However she could still feel eyes watching her and she felt trapped. Memories of the helplessness she felt when she was locked up and left to the mercy of the Silverhands came flooding back. It was rare for her to run but this was one of those moments.

    The Jarl managed to keep a straight face as he watched Aela blush although he really wanted to laugh. Even Kodlak felt like chuckling, ignorant of the thoughts that were cascading through Aela.

    Sotek felt her hand tense up and could easily hear her heart almost battering itself against her ribs. He slightly nodded to himself as he let her hand go and prepared to cast a spell.

    In front of him, blue flames rose upwards and formed an oval portal, allowing Sotek’s familiar to step out from the plains of Oblivion. The familiar, sensing that there was no threat, made a beeline towards Aela and shoved it’s snout under her arms, forcing her to take notice of him.

    Despite how she felt inside, she burst out laughing as she cuddled him while he rested his front paws on her lap. A loud hollow howl rang out and Aela was quick to tip her head back and howl along with him.

    Sotek, who was content to sit back and watch them, commented about ‘Aela’s howling’.

    “I feel it’s unfair to blame Aela for howling when it’s clearly my familiar who is the cause of it all. I’ll restrain from summoning him at night if I can Jarl Balgruuf but I would ask that you bear in mind that he is like a companion to the pair of us. A pet, if you will… no, not a pet, a friend”.

    Kodlak huffed while his posture changed from semi amused to one of intimidation and disapproval.

    “Sotek, if you really want to assist with the ‘howling’ then what you need to do is simple. Keep it in your goddamn trousers and don’t play us for fools!!”

    Sotek leaned across to Aela who had now buried her head in the familiar’s fur and whispered to her.

    “I don’t think he bought it”.

    Aela burst out laughing despite the situation and flashed her eyes at Sotek. His playfulness and easy going attitude to the whole event fed her own emotions and she quickly fell in with his mind set, laying her fears and anxiety to rest.

    “Nope… thanks for trying though. I’ll try to bite harder in future”. She suddenly stared wide eyed at the Jarl as the realism that he could hear every word smacked her full in the face. “The pillow… bite the pillow. Aw forget it!”

    An aging groan from the side caused Aela and Sotek to whip their heads around. For the first time they realized that Tilma was sitting in the corner listening in. Jarl Balgruuf held his hand up stopping both the young Companions from adding to their already objectionable remarks.

    “Sotek! The whole area has literally been picked bare of plant life from your Alchemy collecting. And now I hear that you both do it... mix potions I mean”.

    Aela started sniggering again until she thought about what he had actually said.

    “Now hang on there, I don’t mix any potions”.

    Sotek couldn’t help but laugh at her. He knew she was technically right but at the same time it wasn’t that simple either and he as sure as Oblivion wasn’t going to let her get away with it.

    “She’s right, she makes poisons instead”.

    She glared back at him as she angrily spoke aloud.

    “Oh thanks!! That makes me sound worse”.

    The Jarl tutted at Aela then proceeded to carry on with his ‘list’.

    “The stable lad had a hard time explaining the sudden influx of horses at the stables, he’s been marked as a horse thief”.

    Sotek shook his head dismissively at the ‘outrageous comment’.

    “Oh come on! That’s not my fault”.

    Aela saw her chance for revenge to his outburst about her poisons and she was quick to shift all the attention on to him.

    “Oh no? Tell us this one then. If the stable lad isn’t stealing them then how’s his supplier getting them?”

    Sotek snapped at her as he poked himself in the chest.

    “I’m not the stable’s horse supplier”.

    She half shouted as she poked him while both Kodlak and the Jarl along with Tilma sat in silence and looked on at the scene in front of them.

    “You sold more horses in the last three weeks to the stables than anyone else had during the last three months!!”

    The Jarl simply passed the baton to Kodlak along with a quick repartee.

    “I thought we’d be arguing with them, not sitting here watching them argue with one another. It’s your turn now, if they are listening…”

    Upon hearing it, Aela shot a look at Sotek and thumped him in the arm. He hissed at her then glanced at the Harbinger before groaning as the Harbinger pulled out a folded sheet of parchment.

    Kodlak opened up the parchment which had various pieces of scribbling on it.

    “Well, where do I begin? Ah, Aela I think. You, young lad… gir… mada… Aela, have managed to break three tables, two chests of draws, and your constant noise is driving everyone crazy”.

    She pointed to Sotek and passed the blame straight to him.

    “That’s your bloody fault”. She went to slap him but he just managed to dodge the blow.

    The Harbinger smiled at the pair of them albeit his whole posture wasn’t one of merriment.

    “Oh this is his fault!! Two chairs destroyed…”

    Aela stuck her hand up although she never waited for him to stop talking. Instead she interrupted him and yelled out.

    “Does that include my chair?” Her shout echoed out across the hall.

    The Harbinger stared at her for a few seconds before he shook his head at her.

    “No it didn’t. Ok then, three chairs… The main door’s hinge and the wall which the door hit… two training dummies”.

    Sotek interrupted him on the spot. He himself remembered the door slamming into the wall and the time when he tore apart the one training dummy but he wasn’t prepared to take the blame for the second one which Aela destroyed when she tried out the Dragonbone bow.

    “That’s not fair; she shot one of them to pieces. I certainly didn’t do it”.

    Aela stuck her hand up again and called out to the Harbinger while at the same time she found herself having to fight off Sotek who tried to cover her mouth with his hand.

    A hollering cry and the change in Sotek’s attack from covering her mouth to slapping her on the back of the head marked the fact that she successfully bit him on the fingers. While her face was smothered in a gloating smile she pointed at her ‘victim’ and yelled out.

    “It is fair! He gave me the bow, oh and add my door to the list while you are at it”.

    The Harbinger’s face screwed up in sympathy while he watched Sotek cover his fingers with his other hand.

    “Ok. Sotek, you managed to destroy or damage Aela’s door along with a bookcase, a chest of draws and Aela’s table. Apparently Aela, he did use a hurricane to search your room during the Daedra incident”.

    Aela stuck her hand up again fully intending to add to Sotek’s list of misdemeanors.

    “And this morning he deliberately tore up my pillow”.

    Sotek gave her a shove nearly pushing her off the chair.

    “You liar, you destroyed both pillows… Over my head I grant you… but”.

    She snapped defensively while she slapped him in the chest.

    “I hit you with them but it was your bony spikes that tore them up”. She suddenly burst out laughing; Sotek couldn’t help but join in.

    Their jovial mood changed when the familiar cried out and lowered to the ground. An awful, gut wrenching whine was quickly preceded by the familiar fading out and returning to the plains of Oblivion where Sotek had summoned it from.

    The Jarl spoke aloud as he banged his empty flask on the table.

    “We will be expecting…”

    Aela and Sotek both fell silent. Aela’s mind fell blank as she listened to what the Jarl had to say but Sotek’s mind ran like a herd of horses bolting along the plains.

    ‘This is it. Here it comes, the truth’.

    As they listened, the Jarl continued with what he had said.

    “We are expecting an important visitor tomorrow. We both feel… that is me and your Harbinger, have decided that it would be better if you two aren’t around when he arrives”.

    The Harbinger looked straight at Sotek and pointed to a large basket of food.

    “Gather up whatever supplies you both will need and get the hell out of Whiterun for a few days. You don’t have to bother us with the simple details like where you are going”.

    Aela slowly rose up from her chair. The sudden and unexpected release from Jorrvaskr didn’t feel like she had expected it to. Any other time she would be screaming with joy at being able to run out on the plains but for the Harbinger to literally throw her out of Whiterun was troubling to say the least.

    “When can we come back?”

    The Jarl laughed along with the Harbinger who seemed to take morbid pleasure in watching Aela’s face turn somewhat pale.

    “We’ll send someone to get you”.

    Aela glumly turned to the Harbinger. Her face belied the hurt and betrayal she felt from her ‘father’ who so easily seemed to abandon her. Her lip quivered pathetically as she half jestingly whispered.

    “But you wont know where we’ll be”.

    Sotek gave her a sympathetic hug and kissed her on the forehead.

    “Aela, that is the whole point. I love you, even if these two, how do you put it? Oh yes, these two… I can’t call them that… ermm these two don’t”. Then Sotek laughed as he pulled her across the hall towards the Undercroft. “Come on, let’s gear up. If we leave in an hour we could have a good hunting session before we even consider making camp”.

    As they descended the stairwell, Aela glanced over her shoulder at Kodlak and whispered, taking care not to be overheard.

    I dont believe the Harbinger’s kicking us out for a few days. He knows our circumstances are different to the other bastards”.

    Sotek gave her a big hug and held her shoulder away from him so he could look at her in the face.

    “Compared to us bastards you mean. Well, bastard and bitch”.

    His jesting was cut short when Aela punched him in the arm. He rubbed the ‘injury’ and snarled at her.

    “I was right… bitch. What do you say when you feel something is far from normal?”

    He was greeted with a peculiar look as Aela felt somewhat perplexed until she realized what he was actually referring to.

    “Ermm… oh! Something has shifted in the moons?”

    Two Argonian palms held her cheeks and turned her head towards a pair of reptilian eyes. She found herself transfixed by the narrow pupils and the emerald green that stared back with an almost alien intelligence. Aela could almost feel the will and power behind the intense glare. Sotek tipped her head forwards breaking eye contact and kissed her lovingly on the head.

    “Something’s going on. When we are ready, we’ll see what we can find out”.

    Finding herself in his arms, Aela held Sotek’s waist and glanced back at the door. In a half mocking tone, she cried out in joy.

    “Yaaay, we’re homeless for a week”.

    Sotek just laughed as he released her so he could head to his room to prepare for their trip. Moments after he disappeared inside his room, he poked his head out around the doorframe and called out to her.

    “Trust me, we’re ok”.

    Aela smiled back but it didn’t mean much to her. Often she would have to argue with the Harbinger just to try and get out for a day. For him to happily throw her out on the plains was a bad sign. There was a storm coming. Everything in her guts told her it was going to be a bad one. She kept her lips tightly sealed until she had entered her own room. Once there she muttered to herself as a nauseating feeling made her want to throw up.

    “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t know any better Sotek… you don’t know”.

    The prospect of being able to prowl around the plains at will quickly lightened Aela’s mood. Her fingers delicately slid along the contours of her bow to finally rest on the draw string. In a single fluid motion she pulled back an imaginary arrow and twisted around to face her door. Or rather face a startled Sotek who flinched to the side in fear of being shot.

    “Whoops… sorry didn’t see you there”. She couldn’t help but smirk as Sotek leaned against the doorway to catch his breath.

    “If you are quite finished scaring the crap out of me… can we go while I’m able to walk?” He tutted disapprovingly as he pulled the bow out of her hands. Giving her no choice but to follow, he walked down the corridor towards the stairwell. “I’ll keep hold of this. At least until we’re outside the city walls”.

    Aela stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at him.

    “What makes you think you will reach the walls?”

    With their weapons strapped to their sides, and both backpacks full of supplies, the two Companions entered the hall to find the Jarl still sitting at the table almost as if he wanted to see them leave. Aela’s nervousness returned and she eyed him cautiously while they both said their goodbyes and proceeded to head outside and walk down the pathway that would take them to the main gate.

    Brenuin, the town beggar, was as usual earning his name in the market. He was hovering around Carlotta’s stall eyeing up the various fruits which she kept in small wooden crates. His cloths were old and tatty. Even the rope tied around him as a belt was worn and frayed.

    When Aela began descending the steps to the market, Brenuin looked up in fright. He was keeping an eye out for the town guards who were currently patrolling the city. By his reckoning they wouldn’t return for at least five minutes, giving him time to beg for food or even better, gold.

    Aela caught him by surprise and she knew instantly what he was up to. On her approach to the unfortunate scrounger, she called out.

    "And what might you be looking at?"

    Brenuin pitifully backed away but he couldn’t break his gaze from the produce which seemed to have him so enthralled.

    "Oh, the fruit looks so good. So juicy".

    Carlotta groaned despairingly and waved him away from her stall while Danica the priestess picked out several pieces of fruit for the sick and injured who were currently resting at the temple. Aela took the flapping hand as a signal that the beggar had now overstayed his welcome. She tapped him on the arm and dismissed him from the area.

    "No handouts today, Brenuin. Now scat. You'll scare off the paying customers".

    Brenuin held his arm like he was punched. Sotek would often do the same thing even though Aela’s light punches didn’t hurt but for the beggar, it was as if he actually felt the pain, or fear of pain from the blow itself.

    His hands moved to his stomach in an attempt to hold back the hunger he felt.

    "Oh, just one apple, Carlotta? Just one tiny apple. I'll pay you tomorrow, I swear it."

    Aela crossed her arms and her foot tapped on the ground in quick succession. She was no stranger to the tramp’s pleas and she was sick of hearing them.

    "That's what you said last week, and the week before that. Now go, before I call a guard”.

    Brenuin pleaded with her and started shuffling past the stall. Three grubby fingers slid along the edge of the display until the last possible moment when his hand slipped off and fell to his side.

    "No, no! Don't do that. No need to do that. I'm going. See? I'm leaving. No guards, please”.

    Carlotta cried out despairingly due to the tugging on her heart strings. Her hand slammed down on the counter while she cursed herself. Knowing full well she couldn’t turn a blind eye to Brenuin’s plight, she called him back with some hope of food.

    "Look, come back tomorrow, okay? If I have anything left that's not sold or spoiled, you can have it."

    A large smiled greeted her as he rubbed his hands together gleefully.

    "You've got the heart of Mara herself, you know that? Thank you, Carlotta. Thank you”. He gave Aela a brief glance then headed off towards the main gate in the hope of ‘bothering’ someone else.

    Sotek, who at this point was leaning against Carlotta’s stall, called the beggar back and pointed to the ground just in front of him.

    “Hold on Brenuin… I want a word”. He pushed himself forwards away from the side of the stand and moved to the wooden box that contained a large selection of apples.

    Brenuin looked down in surprise at the apple that was placed in his hand. At the same time a second apple was lightly tossed towards Aela. Her hands clasped around it and held it to her chest before she bit into it.

    A third apple slipped inside Sotek’s pocket while a fourth apple was thrown straight up. Sotek smiled broadly as they all looked upwards at the spinning apple. It slowed down then started falling back towards the ground. The Argonian’s head shot out and snapped at the apple in midair almost chomping it in half in a single bite. His face tensed up for a brief second before his maw slammed shut, leaving half the apple to fall into his hand.

    Two Septims were placed on the counter and a third coin was flung towards Carlotta’s daughter, Mila. She went to catch it but her hand knocked it away instead.

    “No! come back!” It ran along the ground a few feet before falling on its side while Mila chased after it.

    Carlotta chuckled as she watched her daughter excitedly pick up the coin. Sotek however had now led Brenuin away from the stall and through the narrow alleyway that ran between Arcadia’s cauldron and Belethor’s shop so they could talk in private.

    He threw the beggar a gold piece then asked him a question, one which would hold all the answers should the beggar be willing and able to tell him.

    “Who’s coming to Whiterun tomorrow?”

    The beggar gave a knowing smile and chuckled at the prospect of being able to squeeze another coin from Sotek’s pouch.

    “General Tullius, sir”.

    Sotek simply threw another gold piece at him knowing full well it would cost more gold for additional information and he wasn’t satisfied. He needed to know more.

    “Why?”

    The beggar caught it and gratefully put it in his pocket.

    “It’s about the Stormcloak rebellion spreading across Skyrim”. Having no more information to give, Brenuin scuttled off towards the Bannered Mare so he could fill his belly with drink.

    Sotek strolled slowly along a pathway. He was deep in thought and blanked Aela’s presence to such a point that he actually jumped when she tapped him on the shoulder. Instead of laughing, Aela backed away from him and chose to sit on the stone wall. He moved towards her but she lifted her foot up to his chest and pushed, keeping him back.

    “Start talking… you know something”.

    Sotek’s hand rubbed along her leg, supporting it where it was. His eyes drifted across to Dragonsreach which dominated the skyline.

    “I know as much as you do but I probably made more out of it”. He lightly pushed the offending leg around him so he could move closer to her. Resting his hand on her hip, he casually smiled. “Don’t worry, I don’t think we’re in any real trouble”.

    Without offering any explanation, he led her through the plains district and worked his way to the main gate. He pushed hard against it, opening it to the lands and tundra beyond.

     

     

Comments

11 Comments
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  February 5, 2016
    Well he loves the cold waters.
    Jarl Balgruuf is the main Jarl I deal with in all my play through's. He seems the more down to earth one than the rest.
    Big plans for the Civil War....
  • Exuro
    Exuro   ·  February 4, 2016
    Still the slippery tadpole from BMR. 'Slaughterfish Training' lol
    I always like Jarl Balgruuf the most of the Jarls. Hmm Civil War, I can't see Sotek jumping to join either side.
    Side note: do any of the Jarls have wives? I can't remember, I k...  more
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  February 3, 2016
    I never heard it as supped so it's probably just nationality.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  February 3, 2016
    I don't know if that one is a nationality difference, but they do mean the same thing though so it could be.
    I can see Jarl Balgruuf and Kodlak laughing like hyenas. Poor Aela don't know what to think.
  • Ebonslayer
    Ebonslayer   ·  February 3, 2016
    In paragraph 1 you spelled sipped as supped but this could just be a nationality difference.

    Playing the blame game, huh? Balgruff and Kodlak were probably losing themselves after they left.
  • ShyGuyWolf
    ShyGuyWolf   ·  February 3, 2016
    Great job on this piece, and great Oblivion reference by giving a coin to Breniun. I always give coins for information.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  February 3, 2016
    Yep this is where the Civil war starts to creep into the story. Big plans and consequences.
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  February 3, 2016
    Oh, the Civil War starts becoming more active.
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  February 3, 2016
    Haha, was fun reading Sotek try to weasel his way out of that one. Fun read, Sotek. Another nice change of pace and we get more time with Jarl Balgruuf. 
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  February 3, 2016
    Thanks Axius
    I actually found this one quite a hard chapter due to Jarl Balgruuf due to his limited interaction in game. Hope he came across ok.