Chapter Six: The Forsworn Conspiracy (Tirdas/Middas, 26th/27th of Last Seed)
After receiving word from Eltrys that Thonar Silver-Blood would not be in the Treasury House until Middas, according to Rhiada, Glenys decided to pay a visit to Nepos the Nose first.
It was noon. She stood outside the bronze door of the home belonging to Nepos, located high atop some very steep stone steps in one of the highest points of the city. Vorstag stood beside her.
"You're sure you don't mind coming with me?" she asked.
"Not at all," the man assured her, again.
"I mean, there's probably no reason for it," she stated. "I just . . . my instincts say this could go bad."
Vorstag chuckled. "You're digging into a conspiracy that involves the Forsworn and Markarth's most influential family and have already been threatened twice for doing so," he replied. "I can't imagine why on Nirn you might think it could go bad."
Glenys laughed as well.
Upon entering, they were immediately approached by an attractive but hard-looking Breton woman wearing a simple dress. "What's your business here?" she asked.
"I'm here to see Nepos," Glenys replied.
"We haven't been expecting you," the woman stated rudely, "and the old man needs his rest. You need to leave."
"Wait," a man's voice spoke from the next room. "It's fine, my dear. Send her in."
She let out a slight grunt of disapproval but replied, "Alright, Nepos." She turned back toward Glenys. "You heard the man. Go on in."
They found the old man sitting beside a roaring fire. One look at him told how he achieved his nickname. His nose was unusually large, especially for someone of Breton descent, and his jaw was also disproportionate to the rest of his features.
"Excuse my housekeeper," he apologized with a smile. "She's a bit protective of me. Now what is it that you want?"
"You sent a thug to get rid of me," Glenys replied. "Because I was getting too close to the truth. While you claim to serve the people of Markarth, you are a member of the Forsworn."
"Ah, yes," the man replied with a nod of his head. "You've proven to be a real bloodhound." He sighed. "Well, you've sniffed me out. I've been playing this game for twenty years, sending the young to their deaths. All in the name of the Forsworn. And I'm tired . . . so very tired."
"Why do you do this?" Glenys asked.
"Because my king told me to," he replied. "Madanach. When the uprising fell to the Nords, they threw him in the mines. Cidhna Mine. Not only the largest and most profitable mine in all of Skyrim but also the most secure prison. I don't know how, but he still lives. I get his messages, and I hand out his orders without question." He was silent for a short time, staring into the flames. "Markarth and the Reach are our lands. That is why we are the Forsworn. We cannot claim the home that is rightly ours. Then, during the war with the elves, we had our moment. We drove the Nords out of the Reach with a great uprising, but Ulfric and his men eventually came. Those of us who didn't run were executed, except myself, my king, and a handful of others."
"Tell me about Madanach," Glenys ordered.
"He is the king in rags," Nepos replied. "A man who once held all of the Reach within his grip. He stokes the passions of the downtrodden in this city, orders them to kill the enemies of the Forsworn in our name. . . all from inside Cidhna Mine, a Nord prison. The irony is quite thick."
"Why are you so willing to tell me all this?" she asked.
"My dear girl," Nepos replied with an evil smile, "what makes you think you are getting out of here alive? You were seen coming in. The girl at the door is a Forsworn agent masquerading as a maid. You aren't the first to get this far, and you won't be the last."
The sound of weapons being drawn behind them, drew their attention. Three Bretons, dressed as servants, had pulled weapons and were approaching Glenys and Vorstag. Although they were well armed and competent with destruction spells, Vorstag was able to kill them quickly, leaving only Nepos who now stood in front of the fire, a spell of flames glowing in the palm of his right hand.
"So you've bested my bodyguards," he stated with a dry chuckle.
"Surrender, and you won't meet their fate," Vorstag ordered.
"I would rather die," the old man replied, shooting flames out toward his two opponents.
Vorstag quickly ran him through with his steel sword, and the old man collapsed to the ground.
Afterward, Glenys looted the bodies and searched the home for anything useful, not turning up anything aside from the old man's journal.
"Does it say anything helpful?" Vorstag asked.
"Not really," she replied. "Mostly just regrets. He's sent so many to their deaths, and it sounds as if in his old age, he was feeling remorseful for it."
"Probably got to the point he didn't feel he had a choice," Vorstag commented. "He'd been doing it so long, and Madanach and whoever he works with had dirt on him because of it. If he stopped, he probably would've ended up in the mines as well, and chances are, Madanach would've had him killed when he arrived."
Glenys nodded.
"Now what?" Vorstag asked.
"I meet Eltrys tonight and tell him what I found, make sure Thonar Silver-Blood will be back tomorrow and then confront him," Glenys answered.
"I'm coming with you when you do that," the warrior told her. "You could've been killed today, and the Silver-Bloods hold much more power than Nepos."
She nodded, thankful to have him on her side.
With the proof right in front of him, Eltrys was still shocked that Nepos the Nose had been a player in the conspiracy. "He was so respected. Everyone trusted him . . . I trusted him. He did so much for my mother after my father was killed. I thought it was out of kindness, but now I wonder if he was behind his murder and helped us out of guilt."
After eating breakfast together, Vorstag and Glenys went to the Markarth Treasury House. They stood outside the bronze door for a moment, wondering what awaited them inside.
"You ready for this?" Vorstag asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied.
They stepped inside and were immediately greeted by a beautiful Breton woman behind the counter. "Welcome to Markarth Treasury House," she greeted. "I am Rhiada. How can I help you today?"
"I'm new to the city and had some questions about running a business here," Glenys lied. Rhiada, obviously, knew the truth, but there were two elderly Bretons in the room, and there was no way to know as to whether or not any of the Silver-Bloods were within hearing range.
"We deal with all the landowners of the Reach," Rhiada explained. "It goes without saying, they rely on us heavily for our silver and support. All the farmers, miners, and laborers in the Reach get their daily wages through us. Nepos the Nose handles that business. He has a way with the workers." Although Rhiada, no doubt, was aware of Nepos' death from her husband, word hadn't spread to the public yet, so she was keeping up appearances.
"Could I speak with who is in charge?" Glenys asked.
"That would be Thonar Silver-Blood," she replied. "He runs things around here. His brother, Thongvar, is much more interested in politics than in business." She lowered her voice near to a whisper to avoid anyone else overhearing. "He's told me he doesn't want to be disturbed, but he's in his private office, up the stairs to your left."
Glenys thanked the woman, and she and her friend/protector made their way toward Thonar's office. They passed a finely dressed blonde woman who sat at a table eating a late breakfast. She looked at the two rather disapprovingly as they passed, obviously seeing herself as better than them.
Thonar Silver-Blood was a balding man in a robe that probably cost more coins than most of his workers saw in their lifetime. He sat at a desk with papers strewn about in front him. "What are you doing here? I told them no visitors."
"What do you know about Margret's murder?" Glenys asked, getting right to the point.
"The Imperial agent?" he asked with a haughty smirk. "That's right. I knew. How many dogs is the Empire going to send after me? This is my business. My city. You Empire lovers should learn to accept that. Now get out."
A sudden noise from the next room, crashing and a scream, a struggle, caused Thonar to jump from his chair and rush into the next room. Glenys and Vorstag followed.
The rich woman they had passed lay dead on the floor at the feet of the two elderly servants who both held swords. Rhiada was cowered behind the counter, tears in her eyes.
"No!" Thonar cried, kneeling beside the dead woman. "My wife . . . my Betrid!" He glared at his servants. "We had a deal, you Forsworn bastards! A deal!" He stood and drew his sword, quickly dispatching of the two Forsworn agents. When they were dead, he dropped his sword and knelt beside his wife's corpse again. "My wife. They killed her. Damn Madanach. Damn his Forsworn backside."
"Are you finally ready to tell the truth?" Vorstag asked.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Glenys commented quietly.
"No you're not," Thonar spat. "You want to know who the Forsworn really are? They're my puppets. I have their 'king' rotting away in Cidhna Mine. He was supposed to keep them under control." He shook his head and chuckled dryly. "Madanach. The king in rags. While we were away fighting you elves, Madanach was busy ruling the Reach until Ulfric came and put them down. When their uprising was crushed, I had Madanach brought to me. He was a wild animal but a useful one. I offered him a stay from execution if he used his influence to deal with any annoyances that came up . . . competitors, agents, idiots. So I've let him run his little Forsworn rebellion from inside Cidhna Mine. Now he's out of control.
"Cidhna Mine is my prison. The source of over half the silver in Skyrim," Thonar continued. "It's the most secure prison in Tamriel. No one escapes. I thought keeping Madanach down there would keep him under control."
"He has betrayed you," Glenys stated. "Let us help you bring him to justice and avenge your wife."
"Fuck off," Thonar spat. "You've already gotten what you wanted. Now get out of my house!"
Glenys glanced at Vorstag who nodded, concerned that the grieving man would act desperately if they stayed any longer.
Once safely outside, where rain had begun to fall upon the city, Glenys let out a sigh. "Wow," she stated.
Vorstag nodded his agreement. "What a mess."