A/N Once again, WARNING THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE QUEST 'BLOOD ON THE ICE'! Ye be warned! This chapter kind of got away from me some, so I apologize ahead of time if it isn't as exciting as the others.

"I apologize for interrupting. I didn't hear you talking," Vara told Wuunferth. "I was a little caught up in my thoughts."

Wuunferth waved a dismissive hand and snorted as he said, "That discussion was already over, whatever Ulfric might believe. Now, what do you need?"

Vara stepped closer to the mage and held out the amulet she had found. "This amulet belongs to 'The Butcher'."

Wuunferth lifted the amulet off of her hands and examined it in the light of one of the sconces. "The Butcher? That maniac who's going around killing young women?" he asked, still studying the amulet.

"Yes. A guard told me to take it to Calixto Corrium. I did and he told me he thought it might belong to you. Something about it being the 'Wheelstone' or something," Vara stated.

Wuunferth raised an eyebrow. "He thought this belonged to me? Did you tell him it belonged to the Butcher?" Vara shook her head. "Well, it doesn't belong to me, and I'm not the Butcher," the mage stated dryly.

Vara blinked in surprise. "I wasn't accusing you, Wuunferth. I knew Calixto must have been wrong. I just wanted to see if you knew what the amulet was. It feels evil somehow."

"It is evil. This is the legendary Necromancer's Amulet. I'd wager that with a little bit of polish, you would find that the carving in the center is actually a skull," Wuunferth said thoughtfully. "Do you have any other evidence of the killer's identity?"

Vara nodded and pulled the two journals she had found out of her pack and handed them to the court wizard. "These are journals I found. I think they describe some kind of-"

"Necromantic ritual," Wuunferth interrupted. He scanned the pages quickly. "Yes, they do." The mage turned towards his work table and grabbed a paper that was covered in scrawled notes and diagrams. "Jorleif asked me to look into the murders and I think I've found a pattern to the killings. If I'm correct, which I am, he will strike again tonight, and you need to stop him somehow."

Vara hummed thoughtfully. "Well, he seems to only be attacking female Nords. What if I use myself as bait? If I hide my ears under my hair, he won't be able to tell the difference in the dark."

"True," Wuunferth mused, still looking over his notes. "But it would be dangerous. This man has already killed three others."

Vara smiled grimly. "They weren't me. I'm a hunter, Wuunferth, and a mage. I'll be able to hear him before he gets to me. Even if I don't, I can defend myself."

The mage sighed, but relented, "Fine," he said, "but don't expect me to spend a week healing you like I did the last time you nearly got yourself killed."

Vara only laughed and shook her head, turning to leave. It was only an hour before night would fall. She was about to turn the handle of the door but hesitated. "Please don't tell the jarl what we're planning. He would try and stop me."

Wuunferth looked at her for a long moment, and Vara was afraid he would refuse, but he surprised her. "Very well," he relented, "I won't tell him."

"Thank you, Wuunferth." The mage snorted once more and waved her out the door.

Vara raced down the streets of Windhelm to the Grey Quarter and the Cornerclub within. She flung the door open and quickly stepped inside. Ambarys gave a startled sound, but Vara said nothing, passing the elf behind the corner and bounding up the stairs to her room. Once inside, she quickly changed into a dress. She once again silently thanked Ninesea for forcing her to buy more clothes. Hopefully, she would look less threatening dressed this way and more like the other girls that the Butcher targeted. Vara slipped a dagger she doubted she would need into her boot. Then she carefully arranged her hair so that the white strands covered most of her ears. The very tips still pushed out, but Vara figured that in the darkness it wouldn't make much of a difference.

Vara left her room, closing the door carefully before heading back downstairs. She decided to wait until night had fully fallen before leaving the Cornerclub and heading to the Stone Quarter and the graveyard. That meant she had rushed here for nothing, but there was nothing she could do about that except apologize to Ambarys for being rude and disturbing his customers, which she did.

"There's no need to apologize. I can't help but wonder what the rush was for though. You looked like you had Hircine himself hunting you!" the dark elf exclaimed.

Vara chuckled. "Not Hircine, but tonight it may be the Butcher at my heels," Ambarys raised an eyebrow and Vara hurried to explain. "I've discovered that he is going to strike again tonight, whoever he is. I'm going to pose as bait so that I can bring him to justice."

"You're going to do what?!" Ambarys asked, his tone incredulous. "You do realize how dangerous this is, right?"

Vara laughed. "I've heard that already today, and yes, I do. It'll be fine. Besides, I thought you'd start caring when it was a Dunmer who was murdered," Vara used the elf's own words against him. She meant it as a joke, but Ambarys's face darkened as he replied,

"You should know by now that I consider you family. Azura knows half the Grey Quarter does."

Vara's smile fell into a serious line. "I know, Ambarys. I'll be fine, I promise.". The dark elf didn't look like he believed her, but he let the subject drop anyway, which Vara was thankful for. She could take care of herself.

About an hour later, after she had eaten a full meal at Ambarys's insistence, Vara left the Cornerclub and headed for the graveyard. Night had fallen completely, and the city's stone walls seemed to close in on her as she walked. She knew it was only her imagination, but Vara couldn't repress the shudder that ran through her body.

Once she made it to the graveyard, she knelt in front of each headstone and prayed. At first, she had simply been kneeling there, acting like she was paying her respects, but she decided that a few prayers would do her good, especially tonight. The night was quiet and the air was cold, and Vara was grateful for the cloak she brought, even though she was almost certain it belonged to Ulfric Stormcloak.

She was praying at the headstone closest to where Susana's body had been found when her ears detected footsteps. They were faint, a good distance away still, but the sound set Vara on edge. She discreetly began to pool her magicka into her hands, hiding the light carefully behind the cloak. She kept her head bowed, although her prayer had stopped, and listened as the footsteps drew nearer.

There would be no second chances for this. If Vara acted and the person approaching her wasn't the Butcher, there would be dire consequences. She had to be sure. The footsteps were closer now, and she strained her ears as she tried to determine who approached her. The steps were from a male, of that much she was certain. The person wasn't wearing any armor, but that didn't give her many clues. Their steps were determined and had a purpose, but that purpose could be nothing more than a midnight stroll. Vara almost let out a sigh of frustration. She was getting nowhere. Then, she heard it. The footsteps were closer now, the person was near the edge of the graveyard, but they were softer than they had been earlier. Maybe the person was simply trying not to disturb her prayers. Vara stood and acted as if she were studying the inscription in the stone behind the grave, humming softly. The footsteps were softer and slower. Vara sent a quick prayer to the Divines before pooling the last of her magicka into the spell that waited in her hands.

The Butcher was only feet away.

The air whistled as the Butcher swung with a blow that would have hit Vara had she not moved the instant the air was disturbed. She had stepped quickly to the side, and before she even registered the face before her, her spell was cast. Calixto fell backward, his mouth open in a silent yell, unable to move. His body glowed with the faint green light of the paralyzing spell Vara had cast. His eyes darted from side to side fearfully.

She knelt at his side and examined the tools on the man's belt, they were Nordic, and Vara suspected that if she asked the caretaker of the Hall of the Dead, the woman would confirm that they matched the wounds in the other three victims. Vara sent a quick prayer of thanks to the Divines and then hauled Calixto to his feet. She broke the spell she had cast on him but then quickly cast another one. Now the man could only use his legs. The man glared at her, but Vara ignored the look. "Move," she commanded him, giving him a light jolt of her sparks. He obeyed, and Vara led him to the Palace of the Kings.

The guards outside the palace glanced at her warily, but let her and her prisoner in. Once inside Vara called to the steward who stood by the empty throne. "Jorleif, I have someone I thought you'd like to meet. His name is Calixto Corrium, although he also goes by the Butcher," Vara pushed the man and he stumbled in front of the steward, who regarded him carefully.

"Are you sure? Calixto has been an upstanding citizen in WIndhelm for some time," the steward questioned, stepping forward to look Calixto in the eyes before meeting Vara's.

"I am, sir. If you check his tools against the marks found on the bodies of his victims, you will find that they are a perfect match. I would also suggest checking anything he has written recently and match the handwriting against the journals I found in the abandoned house that the Butcher used as a hideout," Vara paused as a door opened and Wuunferth stepped into the throne room. He caught her eyes and she gestured to the criminal in front of her. Then Vara turned her attention back to Jorleif. "He also tried to kill me earlier tonight. Wuunferth will tell you that we decided that I should act as bait to catch the Butcher tonight."

The steward said nothing for a few moments, then he nodded slowly. "I believe you, but I'll have a few soldiers check into the things you mentioned to confirm your statements," Jorleif waved to the soldiers who stood nearby and they left the hall. "For now, I will have him taken to the prison.". Two more soldiers stepped forward and grabbed Calixto by his arms. Vara broke the paralysis on him and watched as he was taken away. She couldn't help the small triumphant grin that crossed her face as Calixto was hauled off.

"Thank you for aiding Wuunferth in this investigation. I wasn't aware that he had employed any help."

The court wizard snorted at the statement. "I didn't. She came to me with the case practically solved.". Vara blushed slightly. That wasn't exactly true, but she had a feeling Wuunferth would give her one of his looks if she corrected him, so she stayed silent.

Jorleif looked at her in surprise. "Well then. This service deserves some kind of award. I would have to ask the Jarl, but I'm sure that-"

Vara cut the steward off with a shake of her head. "Please, there's no need. I was happy to help."

The steward opened his mouth to reply but was cut off again. This time it was by the deep voice Vara had been hoping to avoid. "Jorleif is right," Ulfric Stormcloak declared from the open doorway of the war room. Vara must have missed the sound of it opening when she was watching Calixto as he was taken to the prison. "You served this city, and you deserve a reward."

Vara ducked her head, avoiding eye contact with the Jarl. She really had been hoping to avoid him. She had barely been able to keep herself in check the last time that they spoke, and she wasn't eager to have that conversation repeated, especially not in front of an audience. Thankfully, Ulfric turned his attention to his steward.

"Jorleif, is Friga Shatter-Shield's house for sale?" he asked. Vara sighed inwardly; she knew where this was going.

"Yes, my lord," the steward responded immediately. "Hjerim is for sale, although if what this woman says is true, it will likely need to be thoroughly cleaned before it can be purchased. I doubt anyone would find bloodstains very appealing."

Ulfric nodded. "Very well. Have the house cleaned from top to bottom and have Jora perform any necessary rites. Once that is done, the house will be gifted to Varaduilwe Oaken-Shield."

Vara couldn't avoid looking into Ulfric Stormcloak's eyes this time. "As generous as that offer is, I cannot accept it, my lord," Vara saw confusion in the jarl's eyes. Then the confusion morphed into a stubborn glint as the jarl asked,

"Why not?"

It was all Vara could do to keep from clenching her fists or grinding her teeth. Was this man determined to frustrate her at every turn? "As I told your steward, I was happy to help in any way I could. I merely did what all responsible citizens should."

Ulfric raised an eyebrow at that, and Vara knew she had made a mistake. Responsible citizens didn't exactly pose as bait for serial killers. At least, she figured they didn't. To her surprise, the jarl didn't mention that. Instead, he said, "Maybe, but you aren't a citizen. You own no property and have no place of business. You could very well leave."

Vara bristled. Was he trying to question her love for the city or her desire to simply help? But no, the look in his eyes was something else, almost like a plea. Except this was Ulfric Stormcloak. Then she realized. "My jarl, I am going nowhere, at least not for some time. Windhelm is my home," she declared in a quiet voice. It felt odd to say it, but Vara knew that her words were true, she wouldn't have said them otherwise.

A grin crossed Ulfric's face, looking oddly out of place. Vara caught herself wondering how long it had been since the man had truly smiled. Her thoughts were cut off when the jarl spoke. "Good, then you'll need a place to stay. I have a feeling you wouldn't enjoy living in an inn for very long."

Vara did have to admit that even after only a few weeks the Cornerclub was feeling cramped. She missed the privacy she had had when she had lived in the woods on her own. She spent a lot of her time hunting or doing other things around the city, but it would be nice to have somewhere she could call her own. A place she could retreat to at the end of the day. Ulfric must have sensed her beginning to give in. His eyes seemed to glint a little differently and although his grin had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, the corners of his mouth pulled up slightly, as if he wanted to grin again. Vara sighed inwardly, it was amazing how often this man made her do that, before she relented, saying, "Fine, but I'll pay for the house myself and any furnishings.". It would be difficult, but Vara figured she could have the money within a few months.

"You'll pay for half the house. I will cover the furnishings," Ulfric countered. Vara wanted to protest, but the set in the jarl's jaw told her that he had made his decision and she wouldn't be able to sway it.

"Very well," she sighed aloud and looked away. She heard Wuunferth snort behind her and could practically see him shaking his head.

Ulfric only nodded and turned to his steward. "See to it that the proper arrangements are made," he stated. The steward nodded and left the room.

Vara didn't want to be left alone with Ulfric. He would try to talk about what happened, and she wanted to avoid that conversation for as long as she could. "Thank you for the generous gift, my jarl. I must head back to the New Gnisis Cornerclub." She hoped he would understand and allow her to leave instead of demanding that she stay and speak with him.

Thankfully, Ulfric Stormcloak seemed to take the not so subtle hint. "Of course. It is late and you've had a busy day. Good night, Varaduilwe."

"Good night, my lord. And please, call me Vara," she requested before bowing. The jarl didn't respond, but Vara knew he understood. She had not lied to him. This is who she is.

She turned and left the throne room, heading once more into the night of WIndhelm. Her mind was lost in thought and made her trip back to the Cornerclub pass quickly. She was met with a sigh of relief followed by a few praises to Azura when she stepped inside the Cornerclub. She laughed and accepted the drink Ambarys handed her as he led her to a barstool. She spent the next hour or so recounting what happened. She had been worried that Ambarys would feel betrayed since she had accepted the jarl's offer of a house, especially since it was in the nicest area of town. An area Ambarys and the others in the Grey Quarter couldn't even dream of living in. To her surprise though, the elf simply smiled and told her that this was a step in the right direction for all of them. Vara hoped he was right.

A/N Is Ulfric finally seeing the error of his ways? Or is there something else at work here? Who knows? (I'm not even sure, this guy's strange!) Thank you to everyone who has read this story so far, and I hope to hear from you all. Comments make my day!

The next chapter will either be at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Probably. Maybe. I'm bad at schedules...