I am originally from High Rock and have only just come to Skyrim a year ago for asylum from the Thalmor...as well as whatever number of nobles I'd pissed off. I had no idea who the Companions were or what Wuuthrad was. So, when Mercer gave me the job to go steal it for some group called the Silver Hand, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was just happy to prove myself to my new family that had been so welcoming after I planted that ring on that dark elf. Little did I know, I had just got myself into a nice predicament that would test my loyalty, strength, cliche, cliche, cliche!
Well, Bayard's my name, and if you haven't figured it out, thievings my trade. Right now I'm trying not to be stepped on by some giant who'd decided to invade a farmer's field that I'd been hiding from the guards in. My two elven daggers were doing nothing more than paper cuts against the damned thing since their normal fire enchantments needed a good recharge. The city guards were about as useful as a Khajit in a blizzard and I'm pretty sure I'm about to visit one of the twin moons with the way that thing was swinging it's club. Seriously, did it carve a whole tree to make that?
I've never been so thankful to see a giant ass Nord running towards me with an equally large sword. The guy jammed the sword into the giant's knee before it could get a chance to crush me. Then a bunch of arrows shot into it from a far by what I saw was some attractive red headed Nord woman while a nice looking Imperial jumped into the fray with a sword and shield. If you have ever fought a giant, their pretty tough bastards but also pretty stupid (Trade-offs of nature), so it was only distracted by the three warriors.
My time to shine. After years of having to be an acrobat, I'm very nimble and climbed up the thing swiftly. When I was on it's shoulders I plunged my daggers into both it's eyes and nearly fell off from it's violent shaking in the process. I removed them after I'd regained my balance and then thrust them into the things skull. The giant began to sway and instead of making the smooth landing I'd hoped for, I crashed to the ground with a nasty crack from my left wrist. I was pulled out of the way by the huge Nord guy before the thing sent me to meet the Nine by falling on top of me.
"Thanks," I say as he helps me up.
The guy gave a huge smile and said in the most enthusiastic tone you'd probably ever find in Skyrim, "No trouble. How could I not help the guy who climbed up a giant, anyway! Where'd you learn to do that? That was great!"
Well, that was unexpected. In my experience with Nord warriors, they'd all been hardened and didn't seem to like to smile unless they had a bottle of mead in their hands. Was the attractive female like that as well? People tend to group with people like them.
"That was one of the stupidest things I'd ever seen! You fought like a frightened Khajit child in the trees of Valenwood! You could have died! You already broke something!" The red head yelled. Nope, she's an overcompensating bitch like that one captain who tried to behead me in Helgen.
Wait, I broke my wrist? "Hmm, I did break something," I said in a matter of fact tone as I looked at my oddly bent, in total pain but I could mask it, wrist.
"Aela, stop yelling at him because he actually killed the thing. He needs medical attention," The Imperial said, leave it to Imperials to be diplomatic. She turned to me, funny all of them had war paint. "My name is Ria and the one yelling at you is Aela. Farkas helped you up."
"Pleasure, my name's Bayard, " I say with a smile despite the fact I was in complete pain. "A healer would be great by the way, where's the nearest one?"
"We'll take you! It'd be rude to leave you here to pick up your daggers and find your way!" Farkas said, much to the displeasure of the Aela woman.
I gave my biggest smile to annoy her more, "That'd be great! Thank you!"
"You should see about joining the Companions, we'd sure like to have a guy like you around," Ria said with a flirtatious undertone that nearly went undetected by me after she said Companions.
Maybe the Guild's luck was beginning to turn! What are the chances I'd run into actually members of my mark before I even step foot into the city? Oh, happy day! They hadn't picked up on my armor, which was odd since so many people seemed to recognize it in the cities, and they liked me! Okay, maybe I was jumping the gun on the whole luck thing since I had just found out the Companions were a group of warriors and not some dating service. Oh well, like they would catch me.
"You ice-brains realize he's in Thieve's Guild armor, right? This Nord isn't some Gods sent hero, he's scum!" Aela scolded.
Why does everyone think I'm a Nord? Wait, not point of interest, need a lie, "First off, Aela, I'm a Breton," I pulled my hood back with my good arm to show my face. I love shocking people. "Second, I came to Skyrim with nothing but the rags on my back. This idiot from Gods know what skeever hole, comes out of nowhere while I'm nearing Riverwood and demands all my valuables. Now, my only valuable was my Father's amulet of Mara and this guy definately wasn't getting that. So I killed him with a nearby rock, took his clothes, his weapons, and even the money from him."
She bristled, "How the hell are you a Breton if you're almost as tall as Farkas? Last I saw, they were short and definitely not broad shouldered."
"Also, they normally lack in the muscle area where as this guy looks like he could wield a great sword if he had to," Ria added with a nod.
"Okay," I interjected, the pain in my wrist becoming way too much. "Questions on way to healer."
They murmured an agreement. Ria grabbed my daggers and we were off to see some Danica Pure-Spring. Is it just me, or do Nords' last names always have two parts. I mean, my last name's Cordeau, nice and simple. Oh well, not my culture not my problem. I just hope this healer's as good as they say she is. When I was going through the Imperial City on my way here I broke my leg in the Arena and had to visit some Orc woman with the same attitude about me as Aela. She literally used splints and a health potion to mend a broken bone, no spells. It was painful!
The city of Whiterun was one of the larger cities in this frozen wasteland. People of all races, except Khajit, bustled about on daily business. An Imperial blacksmith was arguing with some Nord legionnaire about weapons. Children played in the streets without fear of theft or or kidnap or Grelod the Kind. A young woman talked with a fruit seller about produce before being interrupted by a rich looking Red Guard. When they went up the stairs to a town square with a dead tree in the center, I saw that there was a giant, upside down boat that I thought was a monument or something.
"That's Jorrvaskr, home of the Companions," Farkas said proudly.
Well, I guess I was wrong. Hey, this is my first time here, what do you want? This is definitely a nicer city than Riften. No one was in fear of the Black-Briars, so people seemed to speak freely. The Talos shrine wasn't hidden in some graveyard that was only frequented by thieves. The guards weren't on edge, looking out for members of the Guild. I haven't seen a city this naive and relaxed since I'd left my home town. Maybe the group of warriors living in the boat had something to do with that. It made the city easier for me to rob though.
They brought me into a temple for Kynereth where a priestess was hopping from one soldier to the next with a healing spell in one hand and a magicka potion in the other. We had to wait for a good ten minutes before she noticed us, looking tired and in need of a trip to an actual pure spring if this was Danica.
"Aela, Farkas, Ria, it's good to see you," Her nordic accent was heavy. "I'll tend to your friend in just a moment."
She was true to her word and came over to us after healing a badly burned woman. She seemed kind enough, easy to manipulate if you could act well. Her hood was up so I couldn't really tell what she looked like, but she did look drained. I almost felt bad asking her to heal my wrist.
"Leave it to the Companions to bring in a Nord with a broken wrist. He get hurt trying to join?" She asked, setting my wrist back into place.
"I'm not a Nord, why does everyone think that?" I wonder out loud, on accident.
Ria giggles, "We went over this on they way here. You're just built too much like a Nord to be considered Breton."
Oh, that's what they were muttering about while I was sightseeing, great. Danica healed my wrist with magick before I could respond. I like being healed, it makes me feel like I'm back in my mother's arms. So, when I am healed I just don't speak. It would ruin the moment.
"Thank you, how much?" I said, I may be a thief but I have enough decency to pay a person for a service done.
She smiled, "Donations are always accepted, but if you could do a favor for me... No, I won't ask that."
I gave her the ten gold, not wanting to press about a favor I could do. I had one job and one job only. Steal Wuuthrad from the mighty warriors that called themselves the Companions. Then I could prove myself to the Guild and make a lot of money so I could retire in happiness. Now, I just need to figure out what Wuuthrad is. It's a book, right?