In My Time of Need

As Irileth and I left the temple, the ground began to rumble, and heard a sound like thunder echoed: "Dovahkiin!"

"What in Azura's name was that?" asked Irileth.

"Your guess is as good as mine," I replied. "It must have something to do with me killing that dragon."

We arrived in Dragonsreach.

"Good, you're finally here," said Proventus. "The Jarl's been waiting for you."

"You heard the summons," Balgruuf said to his brother, Hrongar. "What else could it mean? The Greybeards?"

"We were just talking about you," Hrongar greeted me. "My brother needs a word with you."

"So what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?" Balgruuf asked me.

"The watchtower was destroyed, but we killed the dragon."

"I knew I could count on Irileth. But there must be more to it than that."

"Turns out I may be something called "Dragonborn."

"Dragonborn? What do you know about the Dragonborn?"

"When the dragon died, I absorbed some kind of power from it."

"So it's true. The Greybeards really were summoning you."

"The Greybeards?"

"Masters of the Way of the Voice. They live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World."

"What do these Greybeards want with me?"

"The Dragonborn is said to be uniquely gifted in the Voice - the ability to focus your vital essence into a Thu'um, or Shout. If you really are Dragonborn, they can teach you how to use your gift."

"Didn't you hear that thundering sound earlier?" Hrongar asked me. "That was the voice of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar! This hasn't happened in ... centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"

"Hrongar, calm yourself," replied Proventus. "What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as she may be, I don't see any signs of her being this, what, 'Dragonborn.'"
"Nord nonsense?!" Hrongar growled. "Why you puffed-up ignorant... these are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!"

"Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course," said Proventus. "It's just that... what do these Greybeards want with her?"

"That's the Greybeards' business, not ours." Balgruus switched his attention from his steward to me. "Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor."

"You've done a great deed for me and my city, Dragonborn. By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honor that's within my power to grant. I assign you my niece, Lydia, as a personal Housecarl, and this weapon from my armory to serve as your badge of office. I'll also notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we? We are honored to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn." he handed me an enchanted axe.

"Thank you, my Jarl," I smiled before I turned around to leave.

"Back to business, Proventus," he turned back to his steward.

"Yes, my lord,"

As I made my way to the door, Lydia approached me.

"The Jarl has appointed me to be your housecarl. It's an honor to serve you."

"I'm a Thane? What does that mean?"

"The Jarl has recognized you as a person of great importance in the hold. A hero. The title of Thane is an honor, a gift for your service. Guards will know to look the other way if you let them know who you are."

"What does a housecarl do?"

"As my Thane, I'm sworn to your service. I'll guard you, and all you own, with my life."

"Let's get going then."

"Lead the way."

As we made our way down the main gate, we heard the following conversation between a Whiterun guard and two Redguard warriors:

"Look, you've already been told you're not allowed here. Turn around and go back the way you came."

"We're causing no trouble. All we ask is to look for her."

"I don't care what you're doing; after what happened, you Alik'r are lucky I don't toss you in jail. Now get lost."

"We will be back. This is not over."

"I wonder who those are," said Lydia.

"From their clothing and those curved swords, I'm going to guess that they're warriors from Hammerfell," I replied.

"You there," the warrior without a hood approached me. " We are looking for someone in Whiterun and will pay good money for information."

"Who are you looking for?"

"A woman - a foreigner in these lands. Redguard, like us. She is likely not using her true name. We will pay for any information regarding her location. We are not welcome here in Whiterun, so we will be in Rorikstead if you learn anything."

"Why are you looking for this person?"

"It's none of your concern. All you need to know is that we're paying for information. If that doesn't interest you, feel free to walk away."

I remembered a Redguard waitress named Saadia served me a drink at the Bannered Mare, so Lydia and I headed there. I took a seat, and the innkeeper, Hulda, called out: "Saadia, dear! can you take care of the customer?"

"Yes, Hulda," she replied. "Would you like a drink?" she asked.

"No, actually; some Alik'r warriors were looking for a Redguard woman."

"Are you sure? Oh no! They've found me? I need your help! Please, come with me. I need to speak to you privately."

I followed Saadia upstairs to her room. She pulled out a dagger and pointed it at me.

"So, are you working with them? Do you think you can take me? You so much as touch me, and you're going to lose fingers. I mean it! I'll... I'll cut you in half!"

"What's going on?"

"So the Alik'r know where I am? What did they offer you? Gold? How many more of them are coming? Tell me!"

"Whoa, I'm not going to hurt you. Please, just put the dagger down."

"Then I need your help, and there isn't anyone I can trust here in the city."

"Maybe. What do you want?"

"I am not the person that the people of Whiterun think I am. My name is Iman. I am a noble of House Suda in Hammerfell. The men who are looking for me, the Alik'r. They are assassins in the employ of the Aldmeri Dominion. They wish to exchange my blood for gold. I need you to root them out and drive them away before they find me and drag me back to Hammerfell for an execution."

"How am I supposed to get rid of them? "

"They're mercenaries, only in it for the money. They're led by a man named Kematu. Get rid of him, and the rest will scatter. I don't dare show my face, lest they recognize me, so you'll have to find out where they are."

"Any suggestions as to how I find them? "

"I heard one of them was just arrested trying to sneak into the city. If he's locked up in the dungeon, perhaps you can get it out of him. Please, I know I'm asking you to do something difficult, maybe even dangerous. I just don't know who else I can trust."

"Why haven't you gone to the guards for help?"

"You think I'd be in hiding if this was something I trusted town guards to handle? These men are ruthless. Cunning, deceitful... they'll pay off whoever they can. I can't trust anyone here in Whiterun. Guards and Jarls can be bought. And the Alik'r are close; I'm running out of time, so I'm choosing to trust you."

"Why are the Alik'r after you?"

"I don't know for sure. I spoke out against the Aldmeri Dominion publicly; I suspect that's why these men were hired to hunt me down."

"Find me the moment the Alik'r are taken care of." Saadia sheathed her dagger as I turned around to leave.

Lydia and I both headed up to Dragonsreach and entered the dungeon. In the first cell was the Alik'r warrior that Saadia had mentioned.

"What are you looking at?" he asked with a growl.

"Where is Kematu?"

"You have a death wish, then?" he chuckled. "If you know that name, you must know to meet him would be to meet your end. It seems we both have needs, friend, so perhaps we can help each other out."

"What is it that you need?"

"I was clumsy enough to be captured, so my brothers have left me here. My life with them over now, but I have no wish to dies in this gods-forsaken land. If I can be released from prison, I may start over. See to that, and I'll tell you what you want to know."

I approached one of the guardsmen and handed him a bag of 100 septims.

"This is for that prisoner's fine," I explained.

"Done," he smiled under his helmet. "Convince him to stay out of the city while you're at it."

I approached the imprisoned Alik'r again. "I've paid your fine; yo owe me one; now, tell me where Kematu is."

"Very well. Kematu is west of Whiterun. It's an unassuming little cave called Swindler's Den. You realize if you set foot in there, you're never coming back out. They'll kill you. But that's your problem, not mine."

Lydia and I both headed to Swindler's den. Along the way, Lydia asked me a question:

"Do you think Saadia is telling the truth about the Alik'r? My gut is telling me that she's not what she seems."

"You might be right," I replied. "She does have a scar on her face after all, which I think is a clue to her true intentions.

When we entered the cave, we both fought our way through several bandits before we finally reached the Alik'r.

"Stay your hand, warrior! " Kematu said as I approached him. "It's no secret why you're here, and you have proven your skill in combat. Let us talk a moment, and no one else needs to die. I think we can all profit from the situation in which we find ourselves. My men will not attack you if you lower your weapons."

"I've been sent here to kill you."

"Of course, sent by... what is it that she's calling herself these days? Shazra? Saadia? One of those, correct? Did she appeal to your sense of honor? Your greed? A more... base need, perhaps? It doesn't matter. No doubt she's convinced you that she's the victim. But do you know why we pursue her?"

"Saadia told me - you're assassins."

"Assassins? No, nothing so crass. "Saadia," as you know her, is wanted by the noble houses of Taneth for treason. We were hired to see her returned to Hammerfell for her crimes. You can help us with that and make sure no one else gets hurt."

"What was her crime?"

"She sold the city out to the Aldmeri Dominion. Were it not for her betrayal, Taneth could have held its ground in the war. The other noble houses discovered her betrayal, and she fled. They want her brought back alive. The resistance against the Dominion is alive and well in Hammerfell, and they want justice."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"She trusts you, at least to some extent. She sent you after us and has no reason to think that you'd do anything other than that. Convince her that we'll be coming for her, and she needs to leave. Lead her to the stables outside Whiterun. We'll be waiting to take her into custody. I'll gladly share a portion of the bounty in return for your efforts in seeing proper justice done."

"All right, I'll do it."

"Good. We'll be waiting for you at the stables. It will be good to finally be able to return home."

We both returned to Whiterun and met Saadia in the bannered mare. I convinced her to leave and that the Alik'r were coming for her, so I led her to the stables where Kematu was waiting.

"We meet at last, my dear lady." he smiled.

"What is this? Saadia asked before she angrily turned to me. "What have you done?"

Oh, come now." Kematu chuckled. "You didn't really expect to manipulate people forever, did you? Your luck had to run out sometime." he cast a paralysis spell on her.

"Now, we'll take our friend here back to Hammerfell, where she will pay the price for her treason."

"She won't be harmed?"

"Not on the way back. Once she gets there, it's not up to me to decide what's done with her. And as for you, I owe you a portion of the reward, don't I? Well, here you go. Spend it wisely, and if I may... Don't allow yourself to be fooled by a pretty face. You're better than that." he handed me 500 septims.