Chapter 4: Thalmor News
Fredas, Evening Star 8, 4E 202 - Near Midday
Before we left the Imperial City, both of us had shopped at the Market District. Serana managed to pick up a Guide to Skingrad book from the First Edition, along with another book of a city that was next after Skingrad.
The Virtuous Blood's have not returned to our hotel and have been out of sight, I hoped I had not created such a stir that alerted the guards, so I was eager to leave the city.
Once we left, we weren't sure which road to take; one leading north, and one going south. We stood at the edge of a town that we had passed before crossing the bridge to the city, then I had recalled we came from the north since Skyrim was in that direction.
We continued on south, and eventually came to a decision where we had to continue south, or take a road that led away from it to the west. I looked at the map, and we were on the Green Road about to connect with the Gold Road, the Gold Road will lead through Skingrad.
Serana paid no attention as we walked through the Gold Road after she had busied herself with reading the new book she just bought. Every once in awhile she will speak, but paid attention to the reading.
"It says here: Skingrad County is famous for its wines, tomatoes, and cheeses, and the town of Skingrad is one of the cleanest, safest, and most prosperous towns in Cyrodiil. Located in the heart of the West Weald highlands, Skingrad is the gem of Old Colovia, and a model of the Colovian virtues of independence, hardwork, and tough-mindedness. Oh that all sounds so wonderfl, doesn't it Leo?"
"It does, maybe we should try out their wines, cheeses and tomatoes."
"We should!" Serana exclaimed.
She continued on reading, we both continued to walk down the road. A few minutes later, she lowered the book to give attention to me.
"It says the Count of Skingrad is a man named Janus Hassildor, very private, powerful wizard, declines interviews, and he shamefully neglects his chapel devotions to the nine, but he is widely honored and respected by his people. How can his people have such high respect for him, if he cares none for the Gods?"
"I believe that is a question for an answer only he has, there must be a lot of rumors there."
"Sounds a lot like it."
The forest we walked through seemed to pass and trees have seemed to reduce, fields and hills started to surround us as we continued walking.
"They also have sweet rolls that are made in Skindgrad, it's suggested to try them. Salmo the Baker in Chapel District bakes them." Serana said.
"I love sweetrolls, we definitely should try one or two."
"Yes, there is also two wine vineyards in Skingrad, Tamika and Surilie Brothers. I've always loved Tamikas Vintage 399."
"I like Tamikas Vintage 415."
"Can't wait to try them. 399 is rare to find in any city." She said.
After an hour, we had reached Skingrad, we passed the vineyards while the workers tended to it. Once we went through the doors into the city, we seen that the same road we were on continued through the town to the other gate leading out.
Before us was a small overpass bridge that connected two parts of the town, we passed underneath it until we were near the gate leading out. We had a choice between two directions to turn, Serana and I turned into the Chapel District, passed the gigantic chapel of Julianos.
We continued on, passing a small cemetery and seen a sign that said 'Two Sisters Lodge'. We went up the steps, entered in and approached a female Orc that stood behind the counter, we gave our smiles.
"I'm Meg gra-Mogakh, proprietor of Two Sisters Lodge. My ancestors used to own this place, but I had inherited it through the family bloodlone. Need a bed? Good food?"
"Yes, please. A bed would be nice." Serana responded,
"That will be 10 septims." Meg asked, Serana handed her the right amount.
"Okay then. It's upstairs, the room at the west end of the hall. That's to your right when you come out the door. Enjoy."
"Thank you!" She said.
Both of us went upstairs, the next floor had nothing but a few chairs and a door, we went up to the thrid floor and found the rooms and unlocked the door to our room. The room is spacious and contains a middle-class double bed, three chests of drawers and a writing desk.
"It looks nice." I said.
"It does, I like it."
"Before we walked in the lodge, I seen that Salmo the Baker lives next door."
"Oh really? That'd be nice to try a knock."
We only stayed in the room for a little but ended up leaving the lodge. We knocked on Salmo the Baker's door, a man opened the door.
"Why, hello. Come on in." The man said.
We entered inside. Sweetcakes, sweetrolls and bread decorated the shelves of Salmo's house.
"Smells very nice in here." Serana said with a smile.
"It does." I agreed.
"Thank you, I am not Salmo. He is an ancestor of mine, our baking skills runs in the genes."
"How much do you sell sweetrolls? We would like to buy a few."
"2 septims each."
"May we buy four? Two for each of us."
"Yes you may." He went into another room after Serana handed him 8 septims, and a moment or two later, brought back four wrapped sweetrolls. "Here you go. Thank you."
"Thank you!" Serana said.
We left the Baker's house and headed back into the Two Sisters Lodge. Both of us sat at a table containing two chairs and started eating them.
"Mmm. It tastes amazing!" Serana said.
"I agree. Very sugary, though."
"Yes, but I love it. Tastes much more homemade than what is sold in Skyrim."
"That's true. We should try Tamikas here too, they must have a difference also."
"Let's ask the proprietor." Serana agreed.
Both of us had stood up, and walked to where the proprietor stood.
"Excuse me? Do you sell Tamikas Vintage here?" I asked.
"Why, of course we do! You cannot have a vineyard in Skingrad and not sell them here!" Meg said.
"May we buy a couple, please?"
"Certainly. Would you like a West Weald, a 399, or a 415?"
"415 and 399, please." I told her.
"Okay, for the 399, it will cost 35 septims, and for the 415, 20 septims. The 399 is a legendary vintage of Tamika, very strong." Meg informed.
"I understand, here you go." I handed her 55 septims.
"Thank you! I will deliver your drinks to your table."
"Thanks." I joined Serana back at the table to find her taking more bites of the sweetroll.
"How much was it? Did you get the 399? They aren't sold often, quite rare to find." Serana asked.
"Well, not here. Especially since they're made in this town."
"That's great! It's been awhile since I had a sip."
"Don't drink too much, love."
"I won't, just to relax." She promised.
Serana and I continued to eat our sweetrolls, then a few moments later, Meg placed two tankard's of wine in it on the table.
"Here ya go!" She said.
We gave our thanks and she departed, we sipped on our drinks. I tasted plenty of grape inside of the wine, it warmed up my body just a little as a swallowed it.
The door opened, and a man came in, an Altmer wearing Thalmor armor. Immediately I took notice and eyed him.
'Why is a Thalmor here? Are the Thalmor still involved with Imperials after the Great War?' I questioned myself.
The Altmer went staight to Meg, I couldn't hear what he asked, I ended up hearing Meg's response.
"Don't count on seeing the Count at the castle. He's a great sorcerer, but he doesn't like visitors." She said.
The Altmer said one thing, then he turned and walked out the door. As a Stormcloak, it is my duty to transfer any activity of the Thalmor, I had to see what they wanted here.
"Hey love, let's explore more of the town? Maybe the castle?" I asked.
"Oh that'd be wonderful! Where is it?"
"When we came in, I did notice that the castle overlooked Skingrad, it's just right up the hill before the entrance into the city."
"Let's go take a look!" She said excitedly.
Both of us stood up, she threw the last bite of her sweetroll in her mouth, I left mine unfinished, along with the tankard of wine. She left hers also, then we exited the lodge.
Outside, down the stairs, two Altmer men that had been Thalmor stood speaking, then they turned and headed towards the chapel.
Slowly, while keeping Serana distracted, we followed them from about ten to twenty steps behind. They led us out the city, then up the steep hill to where the entrance of the castle had been.
We walked across the long bridge that held torches along the trim of the wall, giving the castle a appearance to dramatic, but formal welcome. The Thalmor had entered, and we followed in, to view a courtyard.
Serana looked around quite a bit, I let her take her time to not make it suspicious of my currently active mission. After she looked around, we entered the castle hall.
Few persons stood around, and I caught sight of the Thalmor speaking to a woman. She walked away then went upstairs, Serana awed at the decoration of the hall.
"Oh my, this is so beautiful! It looks so historic and modern." She said.
"It does, it's very big too. Let's take a look at the pictures on the walls."
I was doing my best to distract her. The Thalmor seemed to have been waiting, whispering to each other an ignoring anyone else.
After a few minutes, the lady returned with a man in a burgundy outfit. I tried edging our way closer along the wall, I noticed a frame of a man that was the same exact man that had been talking to the Thalmor.
It was Janus Hassildor! I read the small print on the bottom of the frame, the time that frame was painted stretched back to the Third Era.
'Janus is a vampire! What do the Thalmor want with him? Why is he working with them?' I thought to myself.
I tried moving closer, but couldn't unless I wanted to expose my eavesdropping. I managed to get some voice from them after they spoke in low whispers.
"Yes, you may bring them here. I will have built an outpost stabilized soon." Janus said.
"Very good, Sir Hassildor. We will return once we are given word." One of the Thalmor said.
"Very well. Good day now." Janus finished.
Then the personal meeting between them had adjourned, and they parted ways. Janus went back up the stairs, the Thalmor left the castle.
'The Thalmor are working with Janus Hassildor! I need to get this news reported to Ulfric Stormcloak!'
Serana moved in to where the large frame of Janus had been. She looked upon it then something clicked in her heard.
"Ah, this must be Skingard's Count, Janus Hassildor. I read it in the book. Alessia Ottus must have been very lucky to have been alive when he was alive since he is well-known and respected. Her books were written a little before the Oblivion Crisis. Such a long time ago." She said.
"Yes, it was indeed." I looked at his picture, I seen the look in his eyes where it was pink and around his eyes were wrinkles of old age, but of an undying age. "A very long time ago, it was."