Looking up, Tsunar could see that it was nearly mid day. Enough time to get some supplies and unload what he'd taken from the hunter and still have time to enjoy this historic city. Approaching the bridge, Tsunar could see the palace standing tall over the city, giving the whole place an intimidating presence. As he approached the gate, Tsunar could hear muffled voices. Passing through, he could see the people the voices belonged to: A pair of nords, one looking like a beggar, and a dark elf woman who had yet to speak.
"You come here where you're not wanted, you eat our food, you pollute our city with your stink, and you refuse to help the Stormcloaks."
"But we haven't taken a side because it's not our fight."
"Hey, maybe the reason these gray-skins don't help in the war is because they're Imperial spies!"
"Imperial spies? You can't be serious!"
"Maybe we'll pay you a visit tonight, little spy. We got ways of finding out what you really are."
The men walked away, leaving the Tsunar dumbfounded at a nearby guards inaction. The woman approached Tsunar as he stared at the men.
"Do you hate the dark elves? Are you here to bully us and make us leave?" She asked angrily.
"I have no reason to hate your people." Tsunar replied, glaring at the pair heading for a nearby building.
"You've come to the wrong city then." Said the elf, walking towards some kind of slums east of the gate.
Tsunar was already disappointed in his first experience with the city. Thinking it could only get better, he headed for what looked like a market place. He sold what he could from the hunter's belongings, buying what supplies he he thought were necessary.
Opting to explore a bit before the sun began to set, chose to visit the slums he saw the woman from earlier head for. Finding a run down set of hovels in an area where it was clear that all the city's filth ended up was worse than anticipated. Half the buildings had holes in the walls, and Tsunar was sure they all had more he couldn't see. What surprised him the most, was that it was only dark elves in this part of the city. There weren't even any guards. As he headed further in, he could feel eyes judging him. Following his nose, Tsunar arrived at what smelled like some kind of tavern. "I could use a drink," He thought aloud, "so could everyone else in this part of town, it seems."
The tavern was cozy enough. Small and cold, but it didn't look like the people here could do much better. "What can I get…You?" Asked the barkeep, seemingly shocked at a human visiting.
"Something cheap but decent." Tsunar replied, sitting at a table and pulling his new map from his new pack.
"Matze it is." Said the elf, clearly suspicious of his guest.
The elf approached the table slowly, eyeing his customer up and down. "Not many nords come to the Gray Quarter for a drink." He said, setting a small vase like jug on the table with a tankard.
"Grey Quarter?" Asked Tsunar, not looking up from his map.
"New to Windhelm, eh?" replied the dunmer, leaning on the wall, "You want the long answer or the short one?"
"Dealer's choice" Answered Tsunar, taking a swig of his drink.
"When Red Mountain erupted," Began the barkeep, "a lot of dunmer came to Skyrim for a place to stay. First city most of us came to was Windhelm. The jarl at the time let us stay, but a lot of the locals weren't happy about having 'gray-skins' walking their streets, so they forced us to a corner of the city and called it the Grey Quarter. And before you ask, most of us don't make enough gold to afford moving away, else we'd have done it decades ago."
"And the jarl just lets this happen?" Asked Tsunar, appalled at the story.
"Ulfric? That bastard encourages it!" The elf exclaimed as he walked back to his bar, "If he had his way, we wouldn't even be allowed in this city, like the argonians."
"And who doesn't get it rough from this place?" Asked Tsunar, putting his map away.
"Nords. They're the only ones who belong in this country apparently. You'll forgive us for eyeing you as you walk past. Not the best track record with your people."
"I don't think blaming all of us will fix anything" Tsunar said as he over paid for his drink. "Keep the change"
"So much for honour" He thought as he prepared to leave the city. He could hear shouting from behind him. One of the men from earlier. Turning, Tsunar could see that the man was clearly drunk, and screaming slurs at the top of his lungs. The barkeep came out, presumably to see what the noise was about. "Rolff." He growled "That's kind of his hobby." He said, retreating to his business before the drunk could see him. "My friend!" Exclaimed Rolff, holding his arms to Tsunar, "Come, let's teach these gray-skins a lesson, shall we?" He said, smiling as he approached the woman from earlier. "Back off before you piss me off more any more!" Tsunar warned, shoving Rolff away.
"An elf lover? Weren't raised in Skyrim were you? Well 100 gold says I can knock yer arse back to wherever you're from!" Rolff shouted, waving his coin purse.
"If you're offering to fight, I accept." Tsunar said, pulling his own coin purse from his belt, "But if I win, you stay out of this part of town."
"Deal!" Rolff exclaimed, throwing his purse into the snow.
The fight was as one would expect. A man can have all the alcohol he likes, a werewolf is a strong monster with speed to match. Even in his human form, Tsunar was easily able to avoid Rolff's swings. All it took was two punches and Rolff collapsed in the snow. A number of elves cheered as Rolff fell, earning a smile from Tsunar. Taking up his newly earned coin, he placed his purse back on his belt and grabbed Rolff by his shirt, dragging the man back out of the Gray Quarter before renting a room at the local inn. Tsunar prepared to leave Windhelm first thing in the morning, heading west in hopes of a more amicable part the country.