Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this work, the Elder Scrolls series belongs to Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks
Thankfully there were no complications on the way to the main road. Once arriving at that road, Kamilia took over as the driver while Nadiya and Milana stayed in the cabin to plan and chat about current events. As they went north Nadiya talked with Milana about many things, mostly personal thoughts on their situation. After a full day of travel, Milana took over as driver while Kamilia went back inside. This switching around was the only real noteworthy thing that happened in the days as they traveled to the city of Windhelm. On occasion they would pass by other travelers, both on foot and by horse, but none of them would hail them down to rest and converse, which was not uncommon back in the Imperial province. Most would only glance at them and then look away quickly without any other acknowledgement, while some ignored them altogether. The rest wore apparel that looked like what the rebels wore based on descriptions and illustrations in some of the texts Nadiya and the twins have read, whom they avoided as best as they could.
Halfway to the city that was the center of the rebellion, after passing by another group of travelers without any dialogue exchanged between the two groups, Kamilia remarked to Nadiya, "If this is how the Nords act like as a whole, then we shouldn't have too much trouble fitting in. We can just keep to ourselves without anyone suspecting anything out of the ordinary."
Nadiya looked up from her book with interest in Kamilia's statements. She started, "Keep in mind that Skyrim is in the middle of a rebellion Kam. I think it's just the current times that has all those travelers shying away from strangers. All the Nords we've known were affable enough. Actually, scratch that. They were the opposite of these Nords we have passed by in our journey. The ones we've known were usually very boisterous, when it came to the guys that is. Nord women tend to be more reserved from what I remember, but still open."
"Well the Nords we knew grew up in Cyrodiil. I think that because they were exposed to many different cultures, they're more open and friendly than these provincials. Not saying the Nords are inherently closed-minded, but I'm guessing there's some kind of cultural suspicion of outsiders, at least when it comes to the locals. I could be wrong, but that's what I think so far."
"Let's save our judgments on these people until we have some first-hand experience with them."
"Huh. You saying that is kinda funny. You're usually the one to make assumptions at a glance."
"That was then, this is now. We're not in familiar land, and we need to be more cautious."
"You're definitely right. You know, you seem to have changed a bit Nad."
"Hey, you know how I feel about that nickname."
"Oh come on, just because of that one 'incident' with Professor Ominata?"
"Duh you dud. And, about what you said, me changing a bit? I think so too. I've had a lot of time to think about things, about the state of our Empire. I... well, I just want to find a way to get back at those Thalmor bastards without attracting too much attention. It'll be hard with them having the authority to track down practically anyone they want without open reprisal though. I just want revenge," murmured Nadiya, her voice growing harsher with each word.
"Hey now, me and my sister want to get back at them too," said Kamilia growing serious. "But don't lose yourself like you nearly did those times on the battlefield."
"I'm fine Kam. Let's just get back to reading, shall we?"
"Reading, reading, and more reading. I swear, you'd be a perfect librarian if you hadn't become a Legionnaire."
"Yeah, but I'm too social to do that. Mil would be a better fit I think."
"Right, right."
After this exchange, not much else happened on the journey. They passed by travelers with increasing regularity, and there was more snow the further north they ventured. There were no environmental obstructions to their journey save for the occasional snowstorm that would force them to camp until it passed. Travelers continued to pass by without acknowledgement, and on the final stretch to their destination numerous Stormcloaks could be seen, whom Nadiya and the twins ignored as best as they can. Five days after their initial start from the Pond, the three arrived at the outskirts of Windhelm, the snowy center of the rebellion.
They parked their carriage at a stable just next to the bridge leading to the city, and just before they paid the stable keeper to both watch the carriage and feed the horses, they casted masking spells that concealed their vampiric nature. Though they looked almost completely mortal save for a glowing, red-yellowish tinge to the eyes, none of them wanted to risk the possibility of exposure. Such is the way of the vampire, always taking great care to conceal themselves in order to survive in civilized society. Of course there's always the possibility to live out in the wilds with little worry about vampire hunters, but the three felt themselves too civilized of people to be living in caves and other dark places.
Once they paid the keeper and took some extra and unneeded goods from the carriage to sell inside Windhelm, the three began to walk to the entrance at the far end of the bridge. The skies were clear, and the sun was just beginning to rise. The three walked quietly for a bit with a small crowd, content with the beautiful morning weather, the sights, and the feeling of being back in civilization. Though the city was just beginning to wake up, the three could already hear much activity and commotion mostly coming down from the docks that housed many vessels of all sizes. About halfway through the bridge, Kamilia spoke up.
"So here we are!" she exclaimed in a cheerful tone to no one in particular. "Finally, after being cramped up in the carriage for nearly a week!"
"Kam, the carriage is pretty large, considering it's made to transport a family," Milana retorted. "I thought you would be more appreciative of it."
"Oh I am, it's just that you're taking things too literal Mil. Like the time you thought Reyan was serious about you being a terrible dancer, which I actually agree with. And then you went to your dorm and pouted like a little baby."
"What?! You shut your mouth about that Kam. You lack tact, something you can't get your inferior mind to comprehend."
"Make me. And not at all, I'm more tact than you!"
"Oh please. You were the one that messed up Eryiae's little plan to hook up with that one guy, what's-his-face."
"I for one think that both of you are tactless, at least compared to me," Nadiya said, butting in before Kamilia could begin to talk back to her sister.
"Wha - no, nuh uh. I don't know what you're talking about, Nad," said Kamilia slyly, emphasizing the last word.
"Hey, what did I say about that name Kam?"
"Oh Nad, quit being such an n'wah. I mean, that was years ago. Literally!" Milana said with a smirk.
Both Nadiya and Kamilia turned to stare at Milana with confusion, unused to hearing Milana saying such 'low' words as she once put it. "Whoa Mil, didn't think you'd be one to speak so lowly," joked Nadiya. "Yeah, right? That's like what, one out of ten times I've heard you talk like a sailor?" piped in Kamilia. "And I've lived with you my whole life! So far anyways."
"Seriously? I'm not that high-brow, not like certain Altmer we've known."
"Altmer? Don't remind me. Wait, hah, that reminds me; speaking of high-brow elves, remember Inessia? Remember when she talked down to that ragged-looking elder and then he gave her a verbal beat-down that made her face red as tomatoes?" asked Kamilia with an increasing smile. "Oh gods, that was fantastic!"
The other two laughed heartedly at the story and they went about recalling the more stuck-up nobles that they've known back in Cyrodiil. They traded stories as they walked, content with the nostalgic feelings that they hadn't felt for a long time. Minutes later, they arrived at the large doors and waited in a line for the guards to inspect them. "Looks like the rebellion has people more jittery than we thought," whispered Nadiya to her friends, noticing the shifty looks people were giving each other. The twins nodded in agreement, and about ten minutes later they were all cleared to go inside. As they went in, the three vampires suddenly found themselves facing a small crowd acting excited. Nadiya quickly told the twins to head to the market in the western part of the city to sell off the excess supplies while she went to see what was going on with the crowd. "Meet me in that Hall straight ahead, like around noontime," she told the twins before approaching the crowd.
Nadiya walked into the mass of people and pushed her way through with care, realizing for the first time how short she was compared to the average Nord, the indigenous race in Skyrim. When she got to the front, she saw a couple of large Nordic men standing over a stunned Dunmer woman with what appeared to be her belongings scattered on the ground, in the process of chastising her. Nadiya stopped and decided to listen in to gather details about the situation, though in her mind she was already feeling biased against the two men.
"That's what you get elf, for not supporting the Stormcloaks! And there's more to come if you grey-skins don't leave our land soon!" snarled one of the men.
"You come here when you're not wanted and pollute our city with your stink, maggot!" added the other with fury. Nadiya heard the crowd beginning to become agitated and generally agreeing with the two Nords. "Hey Rolff, maybe they only came here because they're a bunch of Imperial spies!"
Upon hearing these words, the Dunmer woman stood up and spoke to them angrily. "How dare you! This whole war isn't even our fight! And claiming that we're Imperial spies?! What a ridiculous accusation!"
"Oh really? Then let's see those papers you're carrying elf," Rolff retorted. "Prove that you're not a spy!"
"What? These are my personal things! You have no right to search me just because you think I'm a spy, of all the absurd things you could accuse me of!"
"Yes we do, because you're not one of us; you're a damn elf! Hell, you're probably in league with those yellow bastards too! Angrenor, hold her down! I'm gonna see what those papers really say!"
When Rolff said these words, Nadiya knew she had to get help before the crowd makes it difficult and even dangerous to stop this whole affair, and before the two do something bad to the woman. She tried to look for the local guards, and when she spotted a couple of them casually standing around, she ran up to them as quick as they could.
"Um hello? Aren't you going to stop them before things get bloody?"
"What? Why should we stop them?" asked one of the guards lazily.
"Probably because they're about to search her illegally, and maybe even get the crowd to lynch her?!"
"So what? Rolff's probably right you know. I would be surprised if they weren't spies. Who cares about the elves anyways, they started the war. We just tolerate them because they're cheap labor, like those lizards on the docks."
"What? They're not even the same race as the Altmer! Have some sympathy!"
"Whatever. They all look the same to me. Look, unless they cause a riot I don't care what happens. It's not my concern."
Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, Nadiya turned around and went back, hoping it wasn't too late. She ran through the crowd disregarding those in the way, and arrived at the front to see the Rolff and Angrenor combing through her things and hold her back respectively. Nadiya took a breath and steeled herself, hoping she would come out too roughed up. She then yelled, "Hey uglies!" The two men looked up and around until they focused their eyes on the Breton girl marching up to them. "What in the name of Oblivion are you two doing?"
"What's it look like little girl? We're checking if she's a spy. Can't be too careful these days. Why, what's it to you Breton?" sneered Rolff.
"This little girl is going to kick your asses unless you leave her alone. This is absolutely ridiculous, and you two should leave her alone!"
The two ruffians along with the crowd stared at the bold Breton girl, while the Dunmer woman looked at her with surprise, not expecting a stranger in Windhelm to stand up for her, much less someone not a Dark Elf. After a few seconds, Rolff erupted into laughter, and Angrenor followed soon thereafter. Some soft giggles drifted out of the crowd, but for the most part everyone around went quiet in anticipation of what was to come.
After they calmed themselves down enough, Rolff marched up to Nadiya with an arrogant smirk and put his arms on his hips in contempt once he reached her, while Angrenor stayed behind to hold back the Dunmer woman. "Really? Get lost you foreigner, you don't understand our plight," he snapped. "Maybe wherever you're from things are nice and dandy, but we Nords have to remain vigilant for any kind of mischief, especially with the war going on."
"But from what I've seen, you two are just being bullies. I can understand being cautious, but outright assaulting someone just because you think they're an enemy? What has she even done to you two?"
"What, besides being a filthy elf, and eating our food, AND not helping the Stormcloaks? We Nords are in a war for independence against the damned Imperials, and Ulfric just lets those freeloaders in the city to take up OUR space?! At least the lizards aren't allowed in here, those maggots aren't worth half a Nord. But we should be throwing the elves out, all they're doing is squatting in OUR homes, in OUR land, hogging OUR resources, and taking OUR jobs! Screw them, Skyrim belongs to the Nords, and the Nords ONLY!"
The crowd largely voiced words of approval, and some even cheered at those strong words. After they quieted down, the crowd turned to see what the girl had to say, who crossed her arms as well and looked at Rolff with a disapproving look. "Wow, okay. Looks like you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder. Not only do you hate non-Nords, but you also want to throw out everyone not a Nord, and with force? Skyrim is part of Tamriel, and despite your patriotic bullshit everyone should be able to live where they want and how they want no matter the home province of their race. We're all in this land together, and driving others apart is not the way to live in peace. Look, how about you take your racism somewhere else, where you can bitch and moan all you want about how the poor Dunmer make things so bad for you? You're just making people ill with your words."
"What?! Who the hell are you to tell us what to do?"
"Me? I'm no one in the grand scheme of things. But for you, I'm the one who's going to kick you two to Oblivion and back if you don't leave her alone, like I said earlier."
"The hell? We don't need to take that from you! C'mon Angrenor, let's -"
Rolff never got to finish his sentence, as Nadiya took the opportunity to uppercut him before he could strike, making him fly up a bit before landing in agony. Angrenor widened his eyes in surprise but quickly gathered himself, owing to his previous experience as a Stormcloak. With a massive battle cry, he let go of the Dunmer woman and charged Nadiya with the intent to pummel her. Noticing the large Nord coming right at her, she sidestepped him before he could touch her, though she stumbled over a box, property of the Dunmer woman.
The crowd instantly grew excited at seeing action and began to chant various obscenities at both parties. They formed a ring around the fighters, blocking incoming guards rushing over to stop things from becoming too chaotic. In the meantime, Rolff stood up recovered though his jaw stung with great pain. He went over to Angrenor, whom stopped short of running into the crowd to ready themselves against their surprisingly able opponent. The two Nords started to circle around Nadiya together, both sides watching each other's movements, waiting for an opportunity to lash out. The Dunmer woman backed up to the nearby wall, gathering as many of her things as she could before the fighters could mess up her things even more.
Rolff whispered to Angrenor, "Alright, she might pack a punch but she's still outnumbered. Let's come from opposite sides and work things out from there." Angrenor agreed and they both split, rushing over to their positions. Seeing this, Nadiya went to the center and stood her ground there. Once all three reached their positions, Rolff called out, "Okay Breton, you had your fun and I'll admit you pack a mean uppercut, but you're outnumbered and outmatched. Give it up!"
"Bug off you manchildren! Leave her alone, and I'll let you two go!"
"Well, it looks like you're going to get your pretty face dirty then!" taunted Angrenor. With a roar, Rolff charged, as did Angrenor. Assessing her options, Nadiya stood her ground, and just before they reached her, she sprinted right at Rolff as if to attack him, and then skillfully maneuvered herself in such a way that she avoided him entirely, and then she quickly kicked him on his back right at Angrenor. They weren't able to stop themselves before they collided and fell over, both very much dazed by the surprising move. Nadiya then took the lull in action by using magic to levitate them to their dismay, and then forcefully slammed their bodies together once again. She then brought them to several feet above a nearby cart filled with garbage, and pounded them down into the cart with great force. This resulted in the two instigators lying sprawled across the cart, confused and unable to resume the fight, as well as smelling like rotten seafood.
The crowd then quieted, stunned at how the seemingly innocuous woman made fools out of the two men who fought against her, both being experienced soldiers. The incoming guards took this opportunity to breach through, just in time to see Nadiya walking triumphantly over to the instigators. At this, the guards buffed up and readied their weapons and shields. The one with an open-faced helmet, presumably the local commander shouted, "Stop right there! You have been witnessed committing crimes against the local citizens by starting this fight. Come with us and we'll see to it that you're treated as fair as possible in jail, and if you resist we will not hesitate to use force!"
"Treating me fairly? Like how you treat the non-Nords here as second-class citizens?! You might have a strong case if I had attacked without provocation, but I went up to your fellow guard there and he declined to intervene on behalf on the Dunmer over there! I had to do something before things got out of hand!" retorted Nadiya with anger. At her mention, the Dunmer woman widened her eyes and tried to walk away, but a couple of the guards went up and brought her over to their commander. At the same time, Rolff and Angrenor were brought up from the cart and to the commander as well, the guards visibly gagging at the smell.
"Oh really? Is this true Sorik?" asked the commander, turning to the guard Nadiya had pointed out.
"Not at all sir, this girl is lying through her teeth. I've only saw her walk up and start beating on Rolff and Angrenor over there, and when she finished beating them up with that cursed magic, she tossed them around and into the cart like an angry child," the guard replied coolly. "As for the Elf, she helped start this altercation." His fellow guard voiced in agreement, and the commander turned back towards Nadiya. "Well, seeing as I trust the opinions of my soldiers over a stranger, I have little choice but to arrest you."
"WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! I was standing up for that woman over there! She couldn't defend herself! Here, ask her!"
"All I see is a girl that somehow managed to beat up two former soldiers. But fine. What's your case Dunmer?"
"Um, hi. Yes, she did fight those people but it was because those two ruffians there started this whole mess! They pushed me over while I was carrying my things, and were about to unjustly search me because they think me a spy! All that girl did was defend me from those fools!" the Dunmer woman said in exasperation. "Please believe us, we're telling the truth!"
The commander sighed and rolled his eyes. He then said, "Look, I don't think that-"
"They're telling the truth you know, Suvaris and the newcomer," came a voice from the crowd. Everyone involved turned to the newcomer, and they saw the crowd parting way for a prominent-looking Nordic man. The commander furrowed his eyes and the belligerents started to grow uncomfortable, while the stance of the guards changed slightly to one of apprehension. Nadiya herself looked at the man skeptically, unsure of what to think about him. The man continued, "I saw the girl right there run for those guards and apparently they declined to help, because she ran right back to deal with those troublemakers. That's why everyone here is in this whole mess. If the guards did their duty properly, none of this foolish business would have happened."
"Brunwulf, are you calling my men liars?" asked the commander suspiciously.
"Right as rain. They just stood by doing nothing while a crime was being committed by our friends Rolff and Angrenor there. I vouch for the girl, she did the right thing unlike the two guardsmen that we're talking about," said Brunwulf with a firm look. He then crossed his arms and added, "If you want, we can take this up to Ulfric and let him sort things out."
"You realize he'd likely be in favor of Rolff's side and the city guards, considering his stances?"
"That he may be, but the crowd knows what really happened." Brunwulf then turned to the crowd and began to speak loudly, and in a rousing manner. "My friends, everyone, we've all seen what happened, right? We saw how those two fools decided to bully Suvaris out of misguided patriotism. Now these are difficult times indeed, and it's not wrong to stand up for what you believe in. But making things worse for everyone not a Nord is not going to make things better, like our Breton friend said earlier. We can't just go around and push down others just because they're not one of us! We'd just be reinforcing the belief that we are all an intolerant bunch, unable to accept new things. Divines sake, these two are acting like a couple of spoiled children! The Dunmer people already have a tough time adapting to Skyrim, is it really necessary to act all high and mighty towards them? No! We're Nords! We are supposed to have honor and integrity!
"Following Rolff and Angrenor would only lead us to ruin! Please, I'm not asking much of you all, only that you do what is right: being an honorable Nord by being accepting of others, no matter who or what they are. This isn't weakness, nor is it against our traditions. Rather it shows our strength, as a people able to accept changing things and turbulent times. This is why Rolff and Angrenor are wrong. They have allowed their prejudice to carry themselves away, and into dishonorable action.
"And the guards! The ones standing by, not lifting a finger to stop this nonsense? They're just as guilty as these two fools are! If they can't be bothered to protect those in need, no matter their race, what good does it do us as Nords? Nothing! Nay, things will get worse!
As he spoke, the crowd went from being disdainful of him due to his public support of minorities to being more mindful of the situation Suvaris was in. Despite the general suspicion of non-Nords in Windhelm, the respect the crowd had for the veteran of the Great War was high. As they listened and came to understand the situation, the crowd started to nod and agree with his words.
After finishing his passionate speech, Brunwulf turned towards the commander, satisfied with seeing how his words have swayed the opinions of the crowd to his favor. He then said, "Look, the people know what is right. Let the girl go, as well as Suvaris. I don't care what you do with those fools there, only that you find a proper punishment for them. After all, pushing down a woman and trying to frame her for supposed spy activity is more than unreasonable; it's criminal. You should discipline your two guards as well. Wouldn't want to have guards that aren't fulfilling their duty."
The commander looked at him sharply, and then towards the crowd. He saw within it the faces of people moved by the words of a war hero. Despite his reservations towards Brunwulf's sympathy for the Dunmer and Argonians, the commander, along with most in Windhelm respected the man for doing much in the Great War. And now it seems that Brunwulf's charisma coupled with his powerful speech was leaving him with little choice. The people in Windhelm may be suspicious of outsiders, but now, for the moment anyways, people were listening to the war hero. And if the commander made the unpopular choice, things may get complicated.
"Alright, alright. You made your case Brunwulf. You there, Breton," said the commander with an undertone of disparagement. "What is your name?"
Nadiya opened her mouth, and then hesitated. Should she tell her true name? Even in a city that is unknown to her? After what seemed like minutes though were really seconds, she decided not to, as recent events have put her in the spotlight. And in a city that is the center for a rebellion too. Yeah, an alias would be best, she decided in her mind. If my true name gets out, it may attract unwanted attention. Shoot, I gotta tell the twins to do this.
"Maria. Maria's my name," she said quickly, taking a few seconds longer to reply than what was comfortable for the commander. Internally, he grew suspicious. However, he maintained a stern façade and continued with his questions.
"Really? You sure about that?"
"Yes sir. You think I'd forget my own name?"
"Took you a moment to say your name."
"I got a little winded during the fight, that's all. So... can I go now?"
"No last name?"
"Oh! It's Laertes."
"Maria Laertes. Why are you in Windhelm?"
"Me and my colleagues were on our way to the College of Winterhold, and we stopped by to rest and get some supplies for the rest of the journey north."
"Is that so? Well then, that explains why the crowd was cowed. There aren't many mages here save for Ulfric's court wizard. Actually, I don't know any other than him here in this city. Alright. What exactly did Sorik and Eran say to get out of assisting Suvaris?"
"Your guards? Um, I remember something about them saying they'd only intervene if a riot breaks out, otherwise they'll just be looking the other way."
"Sir, that's all lies," interjected said guard. "What I told you-"
"Shut it Sorik. If Brunwulf says something with that kind of conviction he's not lying. Not like he does anyway. You two, take Sorik and Eran to the barracks and I'll go discipline them later. And you two, take Rolff and Angrenor to the jail. I'll talk to Galmar about this whole nonsense after we're finished here. The rest of you disperse the crowd, this whole affair is enough excitement for today. Now, get to it."
"Yes sir," replied one of the guards. She and another guard went to go lead the neglectful guards back to the barracks, while another pair went to take Rolff and Angrenor to the jail, despite their loud protests. The rest went over to the crowd and started to shoo them away. While that happened, the commander turned around and motioned for Nadiya, Brunwulf, and Suvaris to come forward.
"Alright then Maria, other than us filing a report there's nothing else to worry about. We will be keeping an eye on you though, as you did participate in a fight that isn't related to drinking. Don't do anything else so rash again, and we won't have any more problems. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir. Don't worry, I don't randomly go up to people and knock them down."
"Right. Okay then, you're free to go. Your lucky day, seeing how Brunwulf managed to get everyone to support you. Be safe during your time in Windhelm. And if some issue like what happened today comes up again, then come see either me, the Jarl, or Brunwulf first; we can handle these things best."
"Thanks. I'm glad you believe us."
"Well, Brunwulf's an honorable man, and what he says is generally well-respected. So mostly you should be thanking him. Now, away with you."
Nadiya nodded and then went away from the small group, heading towards the mess that was still lying around dropped by Suvaris. For a few minutes, she went around collecting all the things that the Dunmer woman had dropped, putting them in a pile that Suvaris had already started just before Nadiya brawled with the two ruffians. Nadiya was bending down to pick up a small box when she heard some hurried footsteps coming towards her. She looked up and saw Suvaris walking quickly over to her with a smile on her face. Nadiya picked up the box and then stood up straight, returning a smile to the Dunmer. When she reached Nadiya, Suvaris started, "Oh thank you! Maria, was it? If you hadn't stopped those fools in time, I fear they would have ruined my things, and maybe even taken their search further! Once again, thank you Maria!"
"Oh it's no big deal," smiled Nadiya with goodwill. "I'm just doing what any normal person would do. But I'm curious, if Windhelm is so apathetic and hostile to your people, why settle here?"
"Because times are tough my friend. The Dunmer people have already made a long journey, and at least here they're relatively safe," said Brunwulf as he came up to the two. "They all faced great challenges in migrating to this province, and it'd be downright inhumane to turn them away."
"To elaborate on what Brunwulf said, Skyrim is the closest province that'd be willing to take us Dunmer in, Windhelm in particular. The weakened Empire makes travel dangerous, and the further you go the greater the risk. So we mostly settled here, although more than a few Dunmer went elsewhere around the province," Suvaris said. "Personally, I'd have continued towards Solitude, but the work I do for Torbjorn means I'll be here for a while. Given the times we live in right now, I don't mind a few more months here.
"I need to head back to work. Hopefully Torbjorn will understand my being late. Thank you once again, and let's hope that those fools will think twice before they try something so brash," finished Suvaris. She turned and wished Brunwulf thanks for his part in ending the whole affair before walking away. Brunwulf looked at Nadiya and said, "Seeing that you stood up for Suvaris, I'm guessing that you aren't short-sighted like some of my Nordic brethren. That I respect, especially given with what my homeland is dealing with these days."
"Thanks. I'm surprised that the guards weren't doing anything about it though. Is this normal here nowadays?" implored Nadiya.
"Unfortunately so. We Nords aren't the most welcoming of others at first sight, and given the civil war there's a lot of things that make many of us in paranoid and prone to violence," replied Brunwulf. He turned and beckoned Nadiya to follow him. She followed him as they walked to a nearby building with what seemed to be many travelers huddling outside. "My name is Brunwulf Free-Winter by the way, it's nice to meet you. I would have introduced myself earlier, but there were a few things we had to deal with. You are Maria Laertes, correct?"
"Yeah. And a pleasure to meet you too. So where are we headed?"
"Candlehearth Hall, the main tavern in this city. Figured I get you a warm meal and drinks on me, as a way of saying thanks for helping this city out."
"Oh, it's no big deal. You don't need to; I'm just doing what any good person would do."
"And a good person knows when to accept a Nord's generosity," said Brunwulf with a hearty laugh. "Somehow I know you've been travelling for some time, so go ahead and order whatever you want inside, you've certainly earned it."
Not one to turn down a free meal, Nadiya agreed and followed the Nord inside. Once indoors, they took off their cloaks and set them aside on a rack. Nadiya kept her hood on though, since she didn't want scrutinizing eyes to see her own even with the masking spell active; her anxiety over being caught as a vampire saved her skin on more than one occasion. They went upstairs to sit at an open table and and ordered some breakfast while making small talk. Once it came, they started to eat and talk about themselves.
"Are you sure you want to pay for me? I can certainly afford this on my own," started Nadiya.
"Ah, don't worry Maria. It's all taken care of already. Just dig in and eat well, that's how you can pay me back!" he responded over his meal.
"Well alright then. Thank you once again," she told him. They continued to eat as the Nordic bards in the corner started to sing legendary ballads about the First Era, eventually catching Nadiya's ears. She had never heard Nordic bards sing before, and although their voices were not as elegant and refined as the singers back in Cyrodiil, there was something about their proud voices and words that interested Nadiya. As they continued to relay their tales of old to the audience, Nadiya slowed her eating and started to become engrossed by their art. Brunwulf smiled to himself, glad that this traveler was getting a better impression of Skyrim despite the sour experience she had with Rolff and Angrenor. As the ballad gradually wound down and ended, the Breton was the first to clap. At this Brunwulf laughed heartily and said to nearby patrons, "See, this is the way a newcomer should experience Skyrim: with good food and a great song about the old legends!" At this Nadiya shied away since she wanted to keep a low profile, but the jolly atmosphere assured her that things were alright.
The bards then started a new song after a brief rest, one that had a modern tone and message. "The Age of Oppression" it was called, and Nadiya started to pay attention after finishing the last of her food and drink. As the song went on, she realized it was blatantly antagonistic towards the Empire, and Nadiya grew uncomfortable what with all cheers the crowd was giving in support of the rebellion. These once formerly proud defenders of the Empire were now rebelling against the nation she swore an oath to, something that made Nadiya tense up. Of all the places that the coffins ended up in, they had to end up in the midst of a divided land. At least her and the twins didn't get taken to the Summerset Isles. That would have been a nightmare, to put it lightly.
A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Maria? Everything alright?" asked a concerned-looking Brunwulf. "You became pretty quiet, and though we just met you don't seem to be the kind of person that keeps to themself."
"Oh I'm fine. I uh, just zoned out for a bit there, hah."
Brunwulf narrowed his eyes and said, "If it's because of the affection people have for the Stormcloaks then I understand. Outsiders and non-Nords tend not to be up for the Stormcloak cause, and I stand with them."
"Really? That's interesting. What made you decide to stand with them, outsiders that is?"
"Where to begin? Let's start with the fact that Ulfric doesn't care for anyone not a Nord. The Dark Elves are treated as second-class citizens here and are only barely accepted by my fellow Nords; he turns a blind eye to their struggles and doesn't acknowledge that their living conditions are terrible. Not only that, but the Argonians aren't even allowed inside the city. I served with the Empire in the Great War, and I fought alongside Legionnaires of many different races. I learned that despite our different looks and everyone hailing from all across Tamriel, and despite that we might not even like each other at times, all of us are the same people. We're all in the same struggle against the Dominion.
"Ulfric learned how to hate and make Nords feel the same way. Anyone who's not one of us can expect some prejudice in this city and other Stormcloak holds of Skyrim. If you're an elf or one of those so-called 'beastfolk,' take great care about what you say or what you do; better yet, avoid Stormcloak territory altogether. Ulfric made sure of all this by preying on the fear Nords have about outsiders. I don't know what kind of a province we'd be living in if he didn't start this rebellion, but I'm sure it would be better than the one we have right now, what with blood between family and bandits running loose. A rebellion pitting brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives against one another. And for what? For him to become High King? To take the fight to the Dominion?" At this, Brunwulf sighed. The tavern had died down in commotion and the bards were only playing soft melodies now, fitting for the current times.
Nadiya waited for Brunwulf to finish with his meal, and then they spent some more time discussing current events. After a while, Nadiya turned to look at some footsteps coming towards them and saw that the twins had done some bartering and shopping. Nadiya introduced Milana and Kamilia to Brunwulf as Nora and Alanni respectively, who winked at them as she did so. After making acquaintances and Nadiya filling in the twins on what happened, Milana tapped Nadiya's arm and gestured for her to follow. They left Kamilia and Brunwulf behind, the war hero telling stories from before the war to the twin. Nadiya and Milana walked outside the tavern, and by the doorway they started to talk.
"So we've done our shopping and bought some things. All those excess supplies got us quite a bit of gold, though not many were interested in magical items. Also, there's not much new news; Skyrim is in a sort of standoff, the Empire and the Stormcloaks only mounting light skirmishes every so often. We did find that the Stormcloaks haven't been destroyed yet because the Empire is occupied with many other issues. The rebellion is definitely a huge problem, but the Imperials can't afford too many troops to reunite Skyrim because they're still rebuilding other parts of the Empire. Plus, with the Stormcloaks dividing the Nords it seems like there'll be war for some time."
"Just what I suspected. It's becoming more and more tempting to rejoin the Legion, but I need to hold off on that for now. Anything else?"
"No. I was thinking of meeting with the court wizard to sell the tomes I've brought. Then afterwards it'll all be up to you. Want to come along?"
"I suppose, there's not much else to do at the moment. Afterwards we could call it a day, rent a room at Candlehearth, and resume our journey tomorrow. Let's let Kamilia and Brunwulf know, then we'll head out."
At this, the two went back inside. They came back to see Brunwulf continuing with his stories and the other twin totally engrossed by his experiences. As Nadiya and Milana told the two where they'll be going, Brunwulf remembered he wanted to see Ulfric to continue his endless petition about seeking better treatment for the non-Nords. As a group, all got up and after they got their cloaks from the rack, they walked outside to head to the Palace of the Kings, the legendary abode for the first rulers of Men.