Hello everyone!

I really hope I won't butcher this! :S I just restarted writing again and still have my fair share of insecurities and problems, which makes me appreciate every critique I can get. I am also no english mothertongue, so if you see errors of any kind, please let me know!

And now, without further delay, please have fun and I really hope you enjoy it!

Skyrim and it's characters do not belong to me, the only one that I am allwed to call mine are the characters I added into!

He knew the moment he woke up that the coming day would be a disaster. And there he was, standing in front of his Jarl Igmund of Markarth listening to his rant about Argis' job in the guard being over for good.

"The service you did for us was great, Argis, and you defended the city many times and kept our man together. But since the Forsworn incident in the mountains you haven't been the same. And the men also need someone.. unhindered to teach them, and you are not fairing too well with your situation." , he babbles. Argis knows that his Jarl is embarrassed, and that he would not take him off his position if it wasn't for the Thalmor and the Silver-Bloods who are not exactly his earnest supporters.

"But I want to make you another offer, if you are willing to stay in my service.", Igmund continues, and with a nod of the warrior he just continues.

"We will soon have a new Thane in Markarth and I would like to propose this position to you."

The tall warrior freezes. That would make him a Housecarl. And that means that he would most likely be either a babysitter for some nobleman who needs 'protection' from the people he wronged or someone who will barely be home ever, an adventurer, and he will be the housesitter and cleaninglady for their estate. 'What a rosy future.', he thinks to himself.

However, his younger sister makes it impossible to say no to the job offer, for he is responsible for her wellbeing too. Thalos knows he would have rather become an adventurer himself than becoming a nanny for either house or nobleass.

But Frieda is unmarried and just came off age, trying to help making a living with cooking and cleaning for the nobles or as a waitress in the Silver-Blood Inn, when Kleppr and Frabbi can afford it or one of them has fallen ill again. In the moment she cleans the house of the Silver-Bloods themselves two times a week and works in the tavern five days. Today is a cleaning and waitress day.

He looks at the Jarl and nods, grumbling a thanks and turning around to leave.

"Argis, I am really sorry..", the Jarl tries to say again, but he just waves it away and walks out of the palace and to the place he lives with his sister. She was still home, her work not starting for another two hours, and serves him a scarce breakfast when he sits at their table, sighing and his head buried in his hands. At least that work is equally well paid, if only the taxes of the damn Silver-Bloods wouldn't have been so horrendous.

"So, what did the Jarl want? Did you finally get a promotion?", Frieda smiles at him. "The opposite, sister. He fired me from the guard."

"What? He can't do that..! How will we live from now on...? ... Alright, we can do that. I will make sure, we won't starve, I promise you!", she argues.

"Calm down, Frieda. He gave me the job as a housecarl for the probably-soon-to-be Thane.", he says, grinning at her shocked face. "But, you hate this kind of job, brother. Why did you accept it?"

"Well, because we need the money, it is an easy job after all, and it is a safe job. We will always have food, and maybe when I'm lucky I won't die of boredom too soon."

They talk about the recent developments and also about the gossip in town about the group that fled the Cidhna Mine the two months ago. Frieda heard complaining from the Silver-Bloods that the "nosey woman" as they call the outsider, is still not found. She was down there for two days and suddenly all the inmates fled. Most of them forsworn. Argis sincerely dislikes the forsworn, for it was one of their traps that cost him his eye the foregoing winter.

Soon, Frieda had to leave for work and Argis went on a walk outside of the city from which he won't return for several coming hours.

Thank you for reading!