A/N: 12/05/2018 Reposted. Sorry. This child escaped the house only half-dressed and without her homework done.
Disclaimer: What's Bethesda's is theirs, etc. Stories might not be in chronological order.
FROSTBURN
In hindsight I should not have stuck a fork in Galmar for groping my ass last time he got shit-faced after a feast, or, at least, not when the Jarl and the court were watching. Contrary to popular ideas, heroes do not get free reign on any women present, although it was flattering to be seen as still attractive enough to catch said hero's eyes. Women of my family had been blessed with long lifespans and youthful looks. I'm 76, at least 25 years his senior, for Shor's sake, and I was not flirting with him when I'd asked him to refill my wineglass. The wine jar was full and very heavy and I'd strained myself earlier in the day lifting a heavy case of books. He was nearer than the servants and he was already holding the jar, so I asked. Afterwards, he'd laughed it off and it was forgotten. Or so I'd thought.
When the Jarl promoted a Dunmer to the new position of steward of the Gray Quarter it was decided an experienced clerk should be assigned to train whatever assemblage of staff the new steward would produce. Odd that mine was the only name to be considered. Steward Jorlief tried to flatter me, saying that dealing with the elves, especially that slippery shopkeeper who was the new steward, required an experienced clerk who had a decidedly firm hand on how affairs should be conducted. Was that some sort of joke? Nevertheless, servants packed my room and guards escorted me to the Gray Quarter and dropped me at Sadri's Used Wares. If this was a joke of fate, I do not appreciate it.
Revyn Sadri, if I properly understand elf years, was a little younger than me. A bit on the thin side. Could use more meals in him. Friendly and courteous enough, but distracted. He was preparing for a month-long trip to Solitude, of all places. What business had he in Imperial territory when he should be attending to matters here? Shouldn't he be minding himself considering he recently had been investigated for possible treason?
But then I saw the "bodyguards" who were going to be going with him to Solitude — four spies Galmar had added to recent payroll. How inconvenient to take on a spy mission at this time, but, I suppose, orders are orders. I'll just have to whip his staff into shape and work on him later.
There were 20 in all gathered after business hours in a schoolroom in the community hall run by Elani Girith. Their colors ranged from a light gray to one solidly black. Red eyes gazed steadily at me. Because of their lean and sharp racial features, they all seemed to be glowering.
"Now that we're all here, let's begin. I am Dana Mirasdottir of the Frostburn clan. I've been a law clerk for the Jarls of Windhelm for the past 45 years. I was sent here with orders to teach you lot how to do your jobs. That's horse shit. You've waited too long to get your chance to improve your lives to leave it in the hands of the untrained and inexperienced so all I am going to teach you are the peculiarities of the Windhelm's ruling system — who to talk to, how to approach them, and who they answer to and what influences them. I'm sure many if not all of you have more experience than they but fact is they hold the superior position.
"But, if I am wrong and you are an untrained, inexperienced volunteer who knows little to nothing of government procedures, hold your questions and see me afterwards.
"I know you are asking yourself 'Who is this uppity Nord who thinks to instruct us?' I just told you. I'm a long-time law clerk for Windhelm. No, I did not volunteer for this job. Yes, I'm here because I've offended people. Just to save you time from digging, I stabbed Galmar and I call Thane Gilder a fool to his face and in public.
"Let's begin with questions. You tell me what you think you need to know to do your jobs. Orderly, mind you. One speaker at a time. Just raise your hands and talk when I point to you." I picked up a large lump of white chalk. "Paper and writing utensils are on the side table there. I'm only going to write down questions up here. You're responsible for recording what answers interest you."
"Define, please, what are the current offices and who are primary to them."
"Good question. There have been changes recently." I wrote the question down in Dunmeris. I could write it but not speak it, I explained to them, so all question was to be asked in Common.
Being summarily booted out of my room at the Palace left me no time to find a new place to live. Steward Jorlief told me it was Steward Sadri's responsibility to find me a new place inside the Quarter. There was the family land and manor of my cousin where also my century-old mother lived, but that was an hour one way by horse. Absolutely impractical. Steward Sadri's solution was to hand me his own house keys and introduce me to Lady Karis and her niece, Melynis, of the Selvaai of Redoran, who also resided in the house. No relation of Sadri or his wife. Melynis was betrothed to a Sedarys fellow who trailed after the Steward's wife. Sedarys had an indentured servant arrangement stemming from some financial problems on Solstheim and Helsette Faro's high-risk and high-payoff adventuring was the fastest way for him discharge his debts.
The women were temporarily moving out to the community hall because of the work they were doing there — organizing and providing initial security and coordinating projects with the Gray Guards, the Dunmer law enforcers of the Gray Quarter. Living onsite made it easier for them to monitor activities. They would also search for acceptable quarters for me and arrange for improvements and customizations to be done once I made my selection from what they found. For now I would be using one of their rooms for sleeping and the other as an office. Their personal effects were moved to the third-level storage room. Except for the business hours when the main floor (kitchen and former shop area) was open for general public business, I had the house to myself.
The house was three levels. Top level was private bedrooms and non-shop storage. There was also a locked, connecting door into the kitchen of the New Gnisis Cornerclub next door. It made odd sense since the Cornerclub, once a week (only theoretically as the Steward was missing), served as the local courtroom and Revyn and clerks would need a private exit after hearing cases. Ambarys Rendar quickly came to meet me. We were acquainted by virtue of him being a long-time pain in the ass with his constant advocacy for the Jarl to do something about conditions in the Gray Quarter. He was visibly amused that I was assigned to Sadri and staying next door all by myself. He escorted me to the bar below and introduced me to most of the officers of the Gray Guards. No surprise the Cornerclub was practically the second headquarters for the local guards.
The main level had four sections. The largest was the main public room where clerks at the long counter dealt with the public; a side room was set up with desks for other clerks and records; a small back room with enchanted safes and general office supplies; and the kitchen which clerks were allowed to use for meal time if they didn't want to go to the Cornerclub next door.
A door in the kitchen led down to the third bottom level of a furnace room, a section for laundry and bathing (preheated, hot water!), and a storage room for kitchen and food supplies. Slow-turning blades on the ceiling kept air gently moving and vents near the ceiling kept the area dry. A nice use of magic to keep the blades turning. I've been in Dwemer ruins in my younger days and I never liked the places. Not because of the metal monsters but because I didn't like being poached alive by broken steam-spewing tubes while exploring.
Two days later and two nights of dreams I found the door near the furnace. The smaller stone blocks on this wall hid the outline of the door. Behind the door was a large room. Morrowind build with curving walls. An office, library, collection of artifacts, comfortable furniture to relax on, and a house shrine. It was strangely relaxing in there. A bit warm for my taste. I'm sure this was not on the construction plans Sadri had submitted to Jorlief's office. It undermined the Cornerclub but the curved walls and central pillar supported the ground and building above. Around the pillar was a raised bed of soil planted with ash yams.
It felt like homecoming. That made me suspicious.
+—+—+—+—+
"Uncle," I greeted, leaning over and kissing his cheek.
"Dana." Wuunferth relieved me of the tray I was carrying. He sniffed curiously over the capped jug. "What's this? Some sort of soup I'm suppose to drink?"
"A hot beverage of roasted beans from Elsewyr," I said. "'Kafe' I believe it's called. Bitter but stimulating. There's fresh cream to soften the bitterness and some honey to sweeten it. Plus scones and snowberry and grape jams."
"Expensive. What's the occasion?"
"What? You think I'd waste good money on you?" I teased. "Sadri's connection with the East Empire Company. His kitchen is well stocked with exotics and while I'm living there I'm taking shameless advantage." I pushed the clutter on his table aside and he put down the tray. Wuunferth was the brother of my paternal grandmother.
"Ah. And how is living in a haunted shop agreeing with you?"
"I get asked that a lot. Most Dunmer have trouble believing I can stay there alone and not be bothered. Well, the ghosts there do move my things around, steal my books, and occasionally I get strange dreams, but other than that they're agreeable." I fixed my kafe the way I liked it and let Wuunferth experiment with his own in silence. He finally settled for kafe with a little milk and a scone thickly slathered with grape jam. He pocketed the small bag of raw beans for later alchemical testing.
"Why am I not surprised you can live with Dunmer ghosts?" he muttered. "I told my nephew he was marrying into a weird family. Your mother was just like you — claiming to see and talk to family spirits. Did Sadri tell you about them? I've heard rumors that the Thieves' Guild has warning marks on his house. Apparently, they believe ghosts guard the place."
I smiled. "No. He was too preoccupied with packing. Speaking of the steward..."
"Hah. Knew this would come up."
"...he's written that he's been delayed yet again. His store and the Quarter blacksmiths have been selling out on silvered weapons and plenty of other folk have been coming into the Quarter looking for silver. Word is..."
"Yes, he wrote me and he's up to his neck, literally, in vampires," answered Wuunferth, looking annoyed. "And it's true the message was delivered by a Legion courier. The Emperor's about in Skyrim and even the Legion's worked up about this vampire war the Dawnguard is planning. Sadri's been writing to the other court wizards and to the College to solicit for battlemages and for any other magical help we can give. I just got done yesterday with enchanting weapons for Thane Icewind who immediately ran off with his men to join the fight. Ulfric and Galmar are furious because he tossed aside an important mission to fight the vampires."
"Surprising. I thought his grudge was against Dunmer necromancers," I said.
"To him, vampires are no different, so it shouldn't be that surprising. My surprise as that he so readily took Sadri at his word. He really doesn't like or trust that Dunmer. The Legion courier has bolstered Thane Gilder's position that Sadri continues to be in league with the Empire."
"Thane Gilder is a fool. He summoned me in for a meeting and I came in early to break fast with you so I could talk to someone with more sense before I meet with him. No doubt I'll find he will expect me to spy or search Sadri's home for specious evidence."
"So what will you tell him?" Wuunferth abruptly gave a sharp bark of laughter. "Oh, no. Don't try to look innocent, my girl, it absolutely does not suit you."
"Worth an attempt."
"No."
"True. But I'll have to think of something—" my lips curled in disgust, "—tactful. I'm teaching Sadri's people who and how to navigate our ways, but Gilder can make it even more difficult out of spite. I suppose I'll have to give him something. Do you think talking to either Jorlief or the Jarl will help?"
"Jorlief, no. Ulfric may if you can get past Galmar."
He lapsed again into silence and I didn't feel like pursuing this line of thought. But speaking of ghosts and thieves' marks gave me an idea.
The meeting with Thane Gilder went as expected. He wanted a spy and he coyly hinted I could return to my palace position if I did my duty. I told him he could do his own searching and that I usually had dinner at the Cornerclub because they served food that was better than what I could cook. I dropped the front door key on the floor as I left. I could get another from Ambarys and tell him to have the street watch turn a blind eye to any suspicious activities at Sadri's for the next few days.
+—+—+—+—+
A Nord man sat on the lounger in Sadri's room with one of my ancestress's journals open in his lap. Pale blond hair neatly divided into two braids that hung down over his ears, beard neatly trimmed. He wore a hauberk over mage robes. He looked up and smiled as I paused in the doorway shocked at this trespasser. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" I demanded as I drew my knife.
He only set the journal down before he stood up and disappeared.
The journal was open to the section where my ancestress, Nayasu Morvayn of House Morvayn of the Redorans, first met the Nord icemage she was suppose to guard during battles. Much later, when the Kamal were finally driven back to the sea or slain, she followed High King Jorunn back to Windhelm to raise the son sired by the same icemage. The king himself had stood in her lover's place and said his vows for him as she married her love posthumously so that her son would inherit the Frostburn name and land.
Could the ghost I saw be Thane Frostburn, the founder of my family line? If so, what was he doing here? He'd allowed himself to be sacrificed over 800 years ago by the priests of Almalexia to create guardians for some long lost wayshrine, so he was supposed to be bound there.
I went and fixed myself a cup of tea and returned to the cellar. Alright, I could take a hint. I settled onto the lounge and began translating aloud. Though I could read old Dunmeris, but hadn't yet learned to speak it. I suppose I shall have to finally learn how to.