The sun dawned on the mountains and snow of Eastmarch. Eriah Quintence was on her way to Windhelm to report to her Jarl that Whiterun had fallen to the Stormcloaks. She tried not to think about Balgruuf's disappointment too much. He hadn't really said anything to her in anger, just disappointment. To be honest, he saw the battle coming and he knew she was on the side of the Stormcloaks. If he had thought through how much they would be disappointed in each other, he probably wouldn't have been so stubborn. Typical Nords, even if she was one herself. Her horse, a piebald mare she had bought when she was in Markarth, suddenly flicked her ears and nickered. "What is it, girl?" Eriah asked, reining her to a halt and patting her neck. The horse's muscles were tense, alerting Eriah that something was wrong. Pulling her warhammer from her back, she looked around. That's when she saw the smoke. She nudged her horse into a slow walk, keeping her eye out for trouble. She then came up to a burning wagon. It was a Khajiit trading wagon, given she saw bodies of the feline beast-men lying around. "Must've been hit by bandits. Bastards." Eriah thought as she dismounted.
She heard a groan as she approached and she pulled off her Masque as she hurried to the side of a Khajiit woman, who was bleeding out from a fatal wound to the chest. "What happened here?" she asked, cradling the female's head in her hands. The Khajiit just coughed as she slowly looked over to the overturned wagon. "Child...there. Take to...Ri'saad." was all she got out before dying of her wounds. Eriah bowed her head, letting the Khajiit's head come to rest on the road. "May Alkosh and S'rendarr guide you to your rest." she said in respect. She then got to the problem at hand. The wagon was likely hit by bandits so that was one other thing she had to report to Ulfric. The Khajiit had said something about a child and pointed at the wagon itself. Eriah went over and ducked down to look. Curled up at the far end of the wagon was a Khajiit girl-child, with grey fur and a large brown marking over her right eye. Her orange eyes were trained on Eriah and it was easy to see her fur was fluffed out in fear and caution. "I see now." Eriah said aloud. The Khajiit woman had asked her to take the child to Ri'saad who ran the caravan between Whiterun and Markarth. He and his companions had been away when the battle had been fought and there was no way of knowing if he'd be there when she returned herself.
Eriah decided to leave it for later. "Hi, little one. It's okay. I'm a friend." she said, sitting down by the mouth of the wagon. "Nord." the girl said, almost spitefully. The Dragonborn just smiled. Another sad state of affairs in the world at large was that humans, especially most Nords, didn't trust the Khajiit much, given their illegal Skooma and Moon Sugar trade as well as their penchant for thievery and aptitude for assassinations. Not all Khajiit were like that, though, and Eriah wasn't most Nords. "Looks you managed to make it through that attack okay. What caused this?" she asked. "Why should Kah'lesa tell you? You could be a bandit pretending to be nice." the girl said. "Kah'lesa. That's a pretty name. I can assure you I am not a bandit. I'm the Dragonborn." Eriah said. That got Kah'lesa's attention. "Heard of the Dragonborn. They say she is strong. Able to knock people down with just her Voice. If you are Dragonborn, prove it. Then Kah'lesa come out." she said. "Fair enough." Eriah said. She decided to go for a less flashy Shout. She didn't know if the bandits were still in the area and she didn't want to attract their attention. Slow Time seemed a good one. "Tiid!" she Shouted. Time slowed down around them for thirty seconds before correcting itself. Kah'lesa looked at Eriah in awe.
"Has that earned your trust, little one?" the Dragonborn asked. Kah'lesa blinked her orange eyes before slowly crawling out from under the wagon. Eriah noted with interested she had a head of brown hair to her shoulders. A section of it was tied back while the rest flowed free. She couldn't have been older than seven summers. Eriah looked around and grabbed an intact blanket. Rules of cities said no Khajiit allowed but there had to be an exception this time. Kah'lesa was too young to be left alone. She wrapped the girl in the blanket and picked her up, taking her to her horse. She set her on the saddle and retrieved her Masque. After hooking her warhammer to her back, Eriah got onto the horse behind her. "Okay, girl. Get us to Windhelm swiftly." she said, nudging the mare into a canter. "What is your name?" Kah'lesa asked, looking up at her. "Eriah. Was that your mother pointing you out to me?" she asked back. The child nodded, sadly. "She wants me to take you to Ri'saad so you'll be staying with me until he comes to Whiterun again." Eriah explained. Things fell silent between the two and it didn't take long to pass Anga's mill. The horse crested the hill and the Dragonborn slowed her to a stop. "Here we are." she said. Kah'lesa looked at her, troubled. "Khajiit not allowed in human cities. Nords say Khajiit thieves and killers. Keep us locked out." she said. "Don't worry your adorable little head, young one. I have clout in this city and if the guards don't like it, I'll take care of them. All I ask is that you keep quiet." Eriah said.
"Kah'lesa can do that." the Khajiit child agreed. With that settled, Eriah spurred her horse into a canter. When they reached the bridge, she didn't even stop to dismount and rode all the way to the gates. When the guards saw what she had with her, one held out a hand to have them halt. "Welcome, Dragonborn. Need I remind you that cats aren't allowed in?" the man asked. "I'm aware of the law. However, this little one was found among the charred remains of a wagon hit by bandits. She's alone and I will have her remain with me while I report both that and the results of the Battle for Whiterun." Eriah said. "Sorry but I cannot bend the law for you. The cat must stay out here." the guard said. "Would you care to explain to the Jarl why you're delaying me? I'm not entering the city unless the child is allowed with me. I would not ask you to do this if the matter weren't urgent. I'll take the blame if it comes down to it so you won't be reprimanded. Just this once, I ask that an exception be made." she explained. The guards looked at each other. "Should we really risk our necks and careers for the sake of a cat?" the man asked. The other, a woman, just sighed. "Seems that both are on the line no matter what we choose. Jarl Ulfric has been awaiting the report concerning Whiterun and I don't think delaying the Dragonborn is wise. Skyrim's independence is at stake here. I think just this once, we can bend the rule and let her handle the Jarl." she said.
Eriah's horse shifted on her hooves as the guards looked to her. "You win, Dragonborn. The cat may enter the city but on your head be it. Keep a close watch on her. Khajiit start thieving young." the man said. Satisfied, Eriah dismounted the horse and helped Kah'lesa off. She carried her through the gates, pulling the blanket up over her head so she wasn't delayed further. They walked the steps to the Palace of the Kings and entered, the guards not even giving her a thought. As luck would have it, Ulfric was seated on his throne and Jorleif wasn't around. The steward would make things more difficult. He saw the Dragonborn entering with a child-shaped bundle in her arms and his eyebrow cocked. His eyes asked the unspoken question as Eriah stopped before his throne. "I hope you're in a forgiving mood, my Jarl but this was something I couldn't let leave outside the gates without a bringing a guilty conscience in with me." she said. She lowered the blanket to reveal Kah'lesa. Her orange eyes stared at Ulfric, her tail curled in fear. Her claws were digging into Eriah's Blades armor. The bear of a man gave Eriah a look of disappointment with a hint of anger. "Start talking and for your sake, you better pray to Talos I find your explanation satisfactory." he said. "Yes, my Jarl." Eriah said. She set Kah'lesa down on the floor before kneeling at his feet. The Khajiit child, to her credit, was positively too frightened of the large Nord to even wander off. She huddled behind Eriah's back, peering around her caretaker to keep her eyes on the current threat.
The Dragonborn explained the circumstances that brought Kah'lesa into her care and how she convinced the guards it wasn't a good idea to delay her when the more important news concerned Whiterun. "That is all I have to say in my defense. Any punishment you deem fit, I will take, but I ask the gate guards outside be spared. They did their jobs but I was the one who insisted they make the exception. All blame rests on my shoulders. All I ask is that Kah'lesa not be taken from me. Her mother entrusted me to take her to the Khajiit caravan that camps outside Whiterun where she will be safe. I'm bound by honor to carry out that task." she finished, bowing her head. Ulfric was quiet as he mulled over her words. It seemed there was no exaggeration when it came to her storied compassion. Many people in Windhelm spoke highly of Eriah's willingness to go out of her way to help them in anyway she could. It made perfect sense that Khajiit were no exception to her soul's capacity for such things. "Your compassion is something to behold, Dragonborn." he said. Eriah only bowed her head lower, her shoulders visibly stiff. Ulfric slouched back into his throne. "Given that you upheld your duty to report we were victorious in taking Whiterun, I will overlook this breech just this once. I do have one condition." he said after a moment. Eriah's eyes shot up to meet his, stunned he was letting it slide. "What condition is that?" she asked.
"The Khajiit child will stay with you at all times as long as you are in this city and I will let the guards know that they are not to harass you. She is your responsibility. I currently don't have the manpower to spare to hunt down the bandits that hit her caravan so the best I can do for her slain kinsmen is to send some people out to give them a proper burial." he said. Eriah visibly relaxed as relief spread on her face. Kah'lesa was still looking apprehensive, understandably. "I thank you for your generosity, Jarl Ulfric." she said. "Just be warned that I will not be so forgiving next time. The circumstances in this case are special. Getting back to your original mission, as reward for aiding the Stormcloaks in taking Whiterun, I name you Ice-Veins. You're free to do as you see fit while Galmar and I make plans for the next battle. Falkreath is the next step." he said. "Thank you, my Jarl. If I may, given the circumstances with Kah'lesa, I don't think it wise for us to stay at Candlehearth. Is there a place we may stay for a couple days?" she asked. "You may stay here in the Palace. Care to share your plan with me?" Ulfric asked. Eriah got to her feet and stood at attention. "My current plan is to spend these next couple of days resting from the journey here and to see that the child is cared for. I need to get my armor repaired and gather supplies for the journey back to Whiterun. My only concern is what will happen if the battle plans for Falkreath are finalized and the child has not yet been united with Ri'saad's caravan." she said.
"I will be sending a courier to you when the plans are drawn. If the child is still in your care when I summon you for battle, you need only send a reply explaining the situation. You will have a grace period of two weeks to make your way to Markarth, starting the day you send the replay back. If the courier returns empty-handed, I will know you were successful in reuniting her with her kinsman and will expect you to follow the orders I gave you. Is that fair?" he asked. "I can manage that." Eriah said, bowing at the waist. "You're dismissed, Ice-Veins. There is a guest room on the second floor where my chambers are located. You may stay there for the time being. For the sake of the peace, if the child must go with you anywhere outside these walls, keep it discreet. I will explain everything to the staff so they're brought up to speed." Ulfric explained. "Your kindness is appreciated. Talos guide your path." Eriah said. She picked Kah'lesa up and headed for the war room. From there, she went through the door and headed up to the second floor.
Ulfric waited until they were gone before pinching the bridge of his nose. "That woman. The gods must be favoring her because she not only won Whiterun in my name but she managed to convince me to allow the Khajiit to remain in my city. A sign of times to come or am I simply trying to retain her services because to deny her on something like could send her to the Imperial side?" he wondered. Somehow, that didn't seem right. Eriah Quintence, though hardened from battle and her destiny, was still that same woman he met on the road to Helgen. A woman who had radiated gentleness and strength in spite of her fear. A woman who he had wronged in an indirect way. It was he and his men who were ambushed at Darkwater Crossing and dragged Eriah into their conflict with the Empire. Perhaps his acquiescence to her pleas regarding the Khajiit girl-child were his way of trying to make amends to her. It was something he wanted to speak to her on in the near future. Ulfric stood up from his throne and headed for the war room. Galmar was due back in Windhelm later that day and they would start planning for Falkreath.