Hello again,readers!So you're probably expecting Argus to go to Ustengrav,but I decided to advance the story to the Civil War questline before returning to the main quest,Let's see If Argus would join The Fierce Stormcloak Army or The Strategic Imperial :I do not own Skyrim or any of The Elder Scrolls series nor am I a representative of Bethesda Softworks or Zenimax Studios.
After the trip down from High Hrotgar and collecting his reward for sending the supplies to The Greybeards,he is confused,he is confirmed to be the dragonborn,so what's next?He decided to go and wander Skyrim aimlessly,not thinking about his destination.
"You seem troubled,my thane."commented Lydia,on Argus's face expression.
"What make you think,that I'm troubled?"Argus sarcastically replied.
"I don't know,doesn't being dragonborn give you a new purpose?"questioned Lydia.
"NO!I don't want to be dragonborn!DO YOU REALLY THINK I WANTED THIS?!"Argus furiously replied.
"Alright, seem quite happy in front of the greybeards."Lydia said.
"Well,I don't think it's wise to argue with people who can kill you with their voice."Argus said.
"Okay,can you atleast tell me where are we going?We've been wandering aimlessly for hours!"Lydia said.
"I don't really know."Argus quickly replied,but then he remembered about The Stormcloaks and The Legion,after thinking for quite a time,he decided to go to Windhelm to find out more about The Stormcloaks,seeking free worship.
"Actually,Now I know,Do you know the way to Windhelm?"said Argus.
"Windhelm?You want to join The Stormcloaks?"questioned Lydia,surprised of her thane's decision.
"Perhaps,but you still haven't answer the question, do you know the way?"questioned Argus.
"Alright,I know but wouldn't it be easier for you to take a cart?"questioned Lydia.
"I know,but I think i want to get used to Skyrim's weather,might come in handy,reminding that sooner or later we're going to make the climb to the monastery again."Argus said.
"Alright,but stick to the roads,the wild is full of dangerous creatures."said Lydia.
"Yes,after all you're the Nord and ,I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier,All the things that happened in these past few days,it's hard to take in."said Argus.
"Alright,I forgive you my thane,besides I never thought you would say that to me,most nords are quite stubborn and arrogant to apologize for such a small thing like yelling."said Lydia.
"Well,I'm only half-nord,so I guess you'll be expecting a lot of apologies."joked Argus.
They both laugh and continued through their journey to Windhelm,on they got from the warm Whiterun to the colder hold of cold is tolerable for Argus,it's a bit like Bruma,he are already halfway to Windhelm,but as the night falls,the land is getting colder and they've decided to camp just a few miles of the they set up camp a few people are watching them,they suddenly ambushed the two and threaten them with the time Argus and Lydia already put their weapons on the ground,to make them move they're starting to regret.
"Give us your money,and all your supplies!"threatened a bandit with iron armor,which seems to be their leader.
"Oh,really?You don't want to settle this the friendly way?"said Argus.
"THIS IS AS FRIENDLY AS I CAN GET!OR DO YOU PREFER FOR US TO KILL YOU,ROB YOU,AND TAKE YOUR WOMAN?"thereatened the leader.
"Are you sure?"Argus said.
"Yes,yes I am."said the leader.
"Alright,then."Argus calmly said.
"FUS RO!"he shouted,the shout manage to knock down some of the bandits,and staggered the bandit quickly crippled the bandit leader by poking his eyes and kicked him in the knee,While the others are getting up,Argus took a small dagger from his pocket and held the bandit leader Lydia grabbed her bow and shot the bandits in their knee as they started to get up.
"Surrender!If you make a move I'll slit the throat of this pathetic leader of yours!"threatened Argus.
"Just give him what he wants!"said the leader.
The Bandits who are already scared of Argus's shout and now the their leader being captured,fled from them in fear.
"Please,spare me."plead the leader,who seems to have soiled his armor.
Argus asked Lydia to search the man's boots and pockets for a knife,finding a dagger hidden in his boots.
"Ah,tricky one aren't you."said Argus.
"Please!Let me go!I'll change my ways!Please!"plead the man.
Argus threw the man from his grips.
"Go,and get out of here,and don't ever let me see you again,for i won't be as merciful as i am now."Argus warned the bandit.
He scurried of to the woods,desperately escaping Argus's sight,fearing his death.
"Now that that's taken care of,let's continue to the city,I think camping outside isn't a very good idea."Argus said.
Lydia reluctantly agrees,and they continued through the roads and got to Windhelm by is greeted by a few guards blocking the entrance.
"You,what is your business?Travel or enlistment?"questioned the guard.
"Travel."Argus plainly replied.
"Where are you from?"the guard continued his questioning.
"Whiterun."Argus answered.
"Who's that with you?"the guard questioned.
"That's my housecarl,I'm a thane of Whiterun."Argus answered.
The guard leaned closely to Argus,watching his skin and eyes,checking his arms,then the guard said.
"Welcome to Windhelm,kinsman.I hope you enjoy your stay."said the guard.
As they continued through the city,they noticed a man arguing with a dark elf,at the middle of the town.
"Hey you!You're an Imperial spy aren't you?"said the man to the dunmer.
"No,by the gods, would you think that?"said the dunmer woman.
"Why?Your kin lives 'ere,The jarl feeds you,yet you haven't done anything in the fight for Skyrim's freedom!"yelled the man.
"It's not our fight,that's why we don't fight for it!"argued the dunmer woman.
"Whatever,don't mess with me,gray-skin!"insulted the man.
"Just leave us alone!"said the dunmer woman,who noticed Argus and greeted him with a question.
"You,you hate the dark elfs,do you?"questioned the dunmer woman.
"Well,I don't see a reason to do such thing,why would you ask?"questioned Argus.
"Huh,It's this city!We came here from Morrowind after the eruption of the red mountain,This city is the first city we came across,if we know that this is the sort of treatment we'll have,then we should've kept moving."complained the dunmer woman.
"What kind of bad treatment ?"questioned Argus.
"First,we are forced to live in a slum,and guards rarely patrol there,so people can come and rob us be it day or night."said the dunmer woman.
"Second,and last,It's these Nords!They all think that anyone that isn't a Nord is an Imperial spy!"said the dunmer.
"Oh,I see."Argus plainly replied.
"But,It's nice to finally have someone that likes our kin,my name is Suvaris Atheron,by the way."said the dunmer woman.
"Oh,it is nice to meet you, name's Argus."said the Imperial.
"Alright,nice to meet you,Argus,safe travels."said the dunmer.
As soon as he left the conversation,the man that previously argued with the dunmer started another conversation with him.
"Hey you!I see you talking to that Dunmer!You a dark elf lover?"said the man,from his tone,and orientation,Argus could clearly tell that he's drunk.
"Just because I spoke to a dunmer doesn't mean that I love her."said Argus.
"Yeah?Well I think you are!These dark elfs are nothing but parasites!They live in our city,eat our food and yet they just sit around and not do anything."complained the man.
"Maybe I'll get to that slum of theirs and get me a few prisoners!"said the man.
Argus is a bit staggered at what the man said,someone could get hurt,besides he's drunk,the man could actually do what he's saying.
"I don't like the way you're talking,nor do I like what you are planning."said Argus.
"Yeah,well too bad!This is our city!Our land!.I'll bet you 100 septims,i can hit you and send you back to where you come from,milk-drinker!"said the man.
"100 septims,you say?Alright,then."replied disbanded his steel gauntlets so his hits doesn't kill the drunken man.
"Alright!Come on!"The drunken man said as he punched aimlessly at Argus,Argus which is completely sober dodged the man's hits before punching him once in the man fell Argus probably gave him a broken jaw instead of just a bloody nose.
"Wait,I can still fight!No,I can't"said the man.
"You lost the bet,give me that 100 septims."said Argus.
"Alright,alright."said the man,while giving Argus a purse of coin,before scurrying of to the other parts of the city.
"Lyds,have you been here before?"questioned Argus.
"Lyds?"Lydia questioned back,regarding the name her thane called her.
"It's a nickname,so regarding my question earlier,have you been here before?"said Argus.
"No,and I don't like that nickname."Lydia scoffed.
"It's just a nickname,nothing serious to fuss about,besides it's freezing here,let's search for an inn."said Argus.
They walked forward and got to a place called "Candlehearth Hall",Argus figured it's an inn,and so they entered.
Argus talked to the innkeeper and asked for a room.
"Excuse me,how much for a room?"questioned Argus.
"Oh,alright the"10 septims,what else do you want?"questioned the nord woman.
"Nothing,Where's my room anyway?"questioned Argus.
"You don't want to rent another room?How about your friend?"questioned the tried to intervene but Argus answered.
"She's paying for her own room."Argus replied.
"Alright then,your room is at the left-end of the hallway."said the innkeeper.
Argus walked into his room and puts his cloak on a nearby table,he took a bottle of honningbrew he bought from Ivarstead and took a few sips,his eyes grow weary so he decided to sleep,awaiting tommorow's troubles.
As Argus woke up,the day starts as usual,he ordered a meal from the innkeeper,a venison stew,and went to upstairs to eat,the space is considerably bigger than the Bannered Mare,but is a bit colder,despite the he finished his breakfast,he read some of the books he got from Cyrodiil,and went back to the innkeeper to question where Lydia is.
"Excuse me,but did you see my housecarl?She rented a room here to,do you know where she went?"questioned Argus.
"She went outside,check the market,that's where most people go."said the innkeeper.
"Thank you."Argus quickly replied as he got out of the room,where did she go to this time?He thought.
As he walked to the market an old woman approached him and handed him a pamflet.
"Beware the butcher!"said the woman.
"The butcher?"Argus questioned.
"You haven't heard?Are you traveler?"questioned the woman back.
"Yes,yes i am."Argus answered.
"Well,if you happen to come accros any suspicious activties then report to the guards,or Butcher is on a killing spree,he or she has recently killed two victims,all you have a lady friend with you,guard her well,for the butcher is lurking around every corner."narrated the nord woman.
The woman left Argus without further what he heard,Argus searched for Lydia and found her outside a building,holding a few potions.
"There you are!Where have you been?There's a killer on the loose!"Argus questioned.
"Oh come on,my thane!It's broad daylight,he must be as foolish as a giant to kill anyone ,and these are potions of resist cold,after the hike to High Hrotgar,I figured you needed more."explained his rebellious housecarl.
"Well,in that case,thanks,now i need to see this Ulfric Stormcloak,I need to learn more about this man and his cause."said Argus.
"You lead,I follow."Lydia said.
They questoned one of the locals which guided them in front of the jarl's palace,There they stood in front of the Palace of Kings.
"Ah,the Palace of Kings,The palace that was built by Ysgramor himself,quite amazing,for ancient Nordic architecture."commented Argus.
"Let's just get in,you can judge the indoors,then."mocked Lydia.
"Good idea,and we can also ask that Ulfric fellow about the Stormcloaks."said Argus,ignoring Lydia's sarcasm.
"Ahhhh,Let's just get this over with."groaned Lydia.
The two entered the palace,while Lydia sees Ulfric discussing matters with one of his lieutenants.
"Damn,the indoors are a bit dreary,too bad."Argus judged.
While Argus is busy commenting on the dreary decoration and exploring there palace,Lydia overheard Ulfric's conversation with his lieutenant.
"Balgruuf won't give us a straight answer!"His lieutenant said.
"He's a true nord,he'll come around."Ulfric plainly replied.
"I'm not sure, Empire's putting a lot of pressure on Whiterun,I hope what are you saying proves true,but then again a dagger in the back would suffice"said his lieutenant.
"Tell me Galmar,why do you fight for me?"questioned Ulfric
"I won't let ourselves be stomped by some snotty high elfs!That's why!I'll follow you to Oblivion and back if i have to."said Galmar.
"Galmar,I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil! I fight for their wives and children, whose names I heard whispered in their last breath...I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing! I fight... because I must."
Lydia heard his entire speech and conversation,if they're trying to kill Balgruuf then,he must clearly prevent Argus on joining Ulfric's cause,but then again Argus is an Imperial,Ulfric should reject him emedieately!She of the sudden the lieutenant noticed Lydia waiting on the front of the door.
"You,who are you!What brings you here?"asked Ulfric's lieutenant.
"Galmar! probably wants to you want to join our cause?"questioned Ulfric,the rebel leader himself.
"No,I came here with my thane,he's the one that wants to join your cause."Lydia said.
Argus suddenly comes out of one of the rooms and wondered what happened.
"Is this your thane?"questioned the Jarl.
"Yes,this is my thane."Lydia said.
"Come over here,I think we've met before,have we?"questioned Ulfric.
"Yes,I was at Helgen."Argus explained.
"Oh yes,you are Argus...of Kvatch."said Ulfric.
"You're an Imperial?Back off!"Galmar warned,while unsheating his two-handed battleaxe,pointing it at Argus.
"Galmar!Stop!"Ulfric yelled.
Galmar obeyed Ulfric's orders and sheated his axe,for now.
"You're an Imperial now aren't you?Tell me,why would an Imperial try to join a faction that wages war against your Empire?"questioned Ulfric.
"Free worship,and atleast you weren't trying to cut off my head."Argus honestly answered.
"That seems like a good to Galmar,and follow him to our strategy 'll know what to do with you."said Ulfric.
"Come on,follow me,Imperial."said Galmar.
Argus followed Galmar to the stormcloak's planning room,Galmar turns to Argus,handing him a few potions and potions.
"What are these for?"Argus questioned.
"You see,I don't trust an Imperial or his a boat to the serpentstone island,that place is filled with ice wraiths,get their teeth,and I will trust you,and your sword-arm,oh and the potion is too warm you up,the poison is for killing the beast easily."Galmar said.
"Alright,fine by me."Argus replied.
"If you do come back me you're not then,oh won't be much use to me if you're dead."
Argus left the palace,followed by Lydia they're headed to the Argus sees a few Argonians working in the docks,lifting cargo and wants to ask a few question to one of the Argonians.
"Hey,If i wanted to rent a boat,who should i talk to?"questioned Argus.
"Why should I answer?You don't have much hospitality to offer us."The Argonian hissed.
"I'm a traveler."Argus replied.
"Traveler or not,we hate your kind,The Jarl doesn't even let us inside the city!"The Argonian said.
"He doesn't?Well,I'm sorry to hear that,but i really want to rent a boat,so if you could tell me,I would be very pleased."persuaded Argus,using his Cyrodiilic silver-tongue.
"You aren't so bad,now aren't you. If you want to rent a boat,talk to Shavee,she's the one working on the workbench."said the Argonian.
"Thanks,friend"Argus said.
"Your welcome."
"You Shavee?"Argus asked.
"Yes,yes I am may I help you on this fine day?"she said.
"Well,aren't you the happy lot,don't see much of that on this dreary city."Argus commented the Argonian's mood.
"Ha,well being happy or not is a choice,Atleast we still have a roof over our head,and we're still earning septims.I began praying to Zenithar for a while,but it seems that I've lost my amulet,Some bandits took it to a place called the serpentstone island."The Argonian said.
"Oh,what a coincidence,I'm heading that way,I'll make sure you'll get your amulet back."Argus said.
"Well,thank for your ship,It's that empty one,take good care of it."said Shavee.
Argus and Lydia stepped to the boat and rowed to the island,a test of skill that Argus must face in order to join The will he have a change of heart?Find out Next week In "Warrior".
FUS!That's a long chapter!Hey readers,sorry for the delay and all,but school work is getting the best of me,And please tell in the reviews how you feel about the fic,I'll need some MOAR criticism,and for you that didn't know "Silver Tounge" means skill in ,Until we meet again friend,Talos Guide You.