Ulfric awoke to something bushy tickling his nose. As he snorted awake, he was surprised to see a shock of disheveled red hair next to him...when he remembered Svala all but dragging him out of bed the night previous.
Although their night together had been chaste, he was far from disappointed. Just waking up next to her had an odd warmth settling within his chest. He stroked her hair absentmindedly, smiling softly at her quiet snores as she blindly reached for his warmth. Was this what it felt like? Falling in love? He wasn't sure, having never experienced the emotion before.
There was a timid knock on the door and Ulfric was rising and pulling on his trousers, lest it awake her. He knew the ire of a woken Dragonborn all too well and would rather not face her wrath. Calder stood in the doorway smiling brightly. "Good morning, my Jarl. I thought you might be here- there is an armed guard posted outside."
He groaned and ran a large hand down his face. Well, so much for being discrete. "What is it, Calder?"
"Right- You're wanted at the palace immediately. Galmar is concerned he can't guarantee your safety-"
As much as Ulfric wanted to argue, he knew it would be futile. Besides, Svala had looked exhausted the night previous and he wanted her rest undisturbed. "Alright. I will be along shortly." He collected his cloak and brushed his lips against her forehead; her face crinkled at the feel of his corse facial hair. "Sleep. I will return to you soon."
She sat up, still immersed in sleep, mumbled something nonsensically at him before collapsing back onto the mattress once more.
Galmar was on him the second he entered the palace. "Are you mad? First there's an attempt on your life, then a Thalmor operative sneaks in, and you seem to think it's perfectly fine to be parading around out in the middle of the night!"
"I was with Sv- the Dragonborn. I was perfectly safe." Ulfric murmured, bypassing his throne and heading directly for his chambers. He needed to look more presentable before court began. "And Galmar, I do not need a reminder of current events- I lived through them. I am aware we live in dangerous times."
Galmar hummed to himself darkly, studying his superior and friend with a suspicious sort of glare. "Get ready," he bit out, seemingly holding something back in his speech. "We need to speak about next steps. We're in a position to claim Haafingar."
Claiming Haafingar? Already? Ulfric frowned, lacing his breastplate. They were close to taking Solitude, then. "Aye. Dismissed, Galmar." His thoughts traveled back to Svala, rolling around in bed, and how he hadn't had the chance to taste her properly yet...
The day would be long. That he was sure of.
Svala awoke blindly reaching for Ulfric's large form. When her arms collided with the emptiness of her bed she resulted to groaning into her pillow- of course the brute was already gone. She had been hoping to start her day off by riding him, to (hopefully) relieve some of the ache Sanguine had highlighted within her the night previous, and to chase away the gnawing in her gut whenever she thought of Trearil's presence in Windhelm.
Wincing at her pounding head (too much mead, again) she threw on a shift before making her way downstairs for morning meal. Truthfully, time had slipped away from her- just how long had she slept? There was a Stormcloak's officer uniform proudly displayed on one of the armor stands, something she had neglected to notice in her inebriated state. Had she been promoted, again?
"Mala!" Sofie's excited cry came as soon as she spotted her guardian at the top of the stairs. "You're finally awake! I asked Calder to make you some Snowberry crostadas because I know how much you love them, and Horker stew for dinner tonight!"
"Thanks, Sofie," Svala smiled, ruffling the girl's hair. She gave a brief nod to her housecarl, who busied himself within the kitchen. "Do you like living here?"
"It's the best," Sofie beamed. "I have my own alchemy studio and enchanting table and sometimes Aventus sneaks me into the palace kitchen for some sweet rolls," her face fell slightly, her enthusiasm waning. "I just wish you were here more."
"But you have Calder," she reminded the girl gently. "And he seems to be taking such good care of you."
Sofie said nothing, and thankfully the awkwardness was dispelled by Calder himself delivering a heaping plate of snowberry crostadas and salmon steaks. She thanked him quietly before digging in, suddenly realizing just how hungry she was. Sofie demurely picked at a crostada at her side, watching her with pure adoration. "I hope everything is to your liking, my Thane. Sofie has been kind enough to tell me some of your favorite dishes so I may have them prepared." Calder spoke to her within his deep voice. She nodded, barely acknowledging him, thinking instead how odd it was to have someone other than Lydia calling her "my thane,".
"Sofie," Svala swallowed a generous bite, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She had just been struck by a sudden inspiration. "How would you like to come with me to Winterhold today? I need to visit the college library."
The girl's face brightened instantly. "Oh yes, please! Do you think they'd let me borrow some books? I've already read all the ones Master Wuunferth lent me and-" she abruptly stopped, a shadow passing over her face at the mention of her former instructor.
"We'll get all the books you want," she promised her, trying to quell the melancholy mood that had overtaken her once more. "Now go dress in something warm."
As soon as Sofie was out of earshot she rounded on Calder. "Did you tell her what had happened in this house?"
Her housecarl, seemingly surprised by her sudden interrogation, shook his head vigorously. "Of course not, my thane! I would never tell the little lady, even if Jarl Ulfric had not expressly forbidden it."
Svala nodded- good. At least Ulfric had some sense. "And if anything happens to me? If I ever don't come back? You'll protect her with your life?"
Calder nodded, slower this time. "Aye, of course my thane. I will protect her and everything you own with my life. I swear it on the gods."
"Good," was all she said. While Calder was not Lydia, could never be Lydia, and given Svala had never been one to blindly trust, she felt as though she could safely continue to leave Sofie within his care. "Did Ulfric happen to get me anything warm to wear? And would you mind packing us a warm lunch? It will be a long carriage ride to Winterhold." With a sudden bolt of realization she remembered Sanguine's staff lying upstairs; perhaps bringing a Daedric artifact to a college of mages wasn't the best idea. "And there's a staff, looks like a rose?" Calder nodded once more. "Don't touch it."
They made their way to the stables where Svala was only partly surprised to find her steed awaiting her. The damn thing could find her better than any of Skyrim's couriers...she snorted to herself. Perhaps that should be the beast's name. Ulundil had given her a friendly wave which she reciprocated, and then she was loading Sofie into the back of the carriage before hopping in herself.
The ride to Winterhold was long and cold, as she suspected, but Sofie seemed enraptured by everything she saw. Svala had an inkling it was the child's first time out of the ancient city, given her excitement at seeing nothing more than swirling snow and pine trees. By the time they reached their destination, however, Sofie was nearly jumping out of her skin.
"Mala, look! It's the college! It's so big! Do you think I could train there one day?"
"I don't see why not," Svala smiled as the girl slipped her hand into her own, larger palm as they strolled towards the massive college. It was nice just spending time with the child; a decent change from running for her life.
They had reached the stone bridge that led to the main campus of the College. "Cross the bridge at your own peril!" An Altmer mage was shouting at them. "The way is dangerous, and the gate will not open. You shall not gain entry!"
"I need to enter the college," Svala said, ignoring her warning and keeping her face disguised. She was glad some of the cloaks Ulfric had gifted her with were as massive as the man himself. "May I?"
The elf studied her for a moment. "Perhaps. But what is it you expect to find within?"
She shifted uncomfortably. "I...I seek the knowledge of the Elder Scrolls."
"Do you?" She hummed, still looking Svala up and down carefully. "It is true there are some here who have spent years studied the accumulated knowledge of the scrolls. But what you seek does not come easily, and can destroy those without a strong will."
"My Mala is the strongest woman in Skyrim!" Sofie boasted from somewhere around her mid hip. "She'll be fine."
"Is that so, little one?" The mage knelt to Sofie's level, smiling warmly at her. "Well then it appears the college has what you seek. The question now is what you can offer the college. Not just anyone is allowed inside- those wishing to enter must show some degree of skill with magic. A small test, if you will."
She stared at Svala expectedly, but before she could say anything Sofie had summoned a flame atronach at her side. "Oh my!" The Altmer giggled. "What an impressive little mage!"
"You'll let us in then?" She questioned, her patience quickly waning. Damn Altmers- nothing ever came free with them.
"The child is proficient," the high elf said impassively. "But she is too young yet to apprentice with us. You must also prove your worth to gain entry."
For a moment, Svala toyed with the idea of revealing her identity as the Dragonborn. However, she took pause since she would be confessing to an Altmer (not that all Altmer were related, she wasn't as pigheaded as some of the Stormcloaks after all). Sulkily, she casted a weak torrent of fire instead.
"I suppose you're sufficient," the mage sniffed at her and had Sofie not been there, she would have singed the bitch. "Come with me, I will escort you inside."
The courtyard itself was massive, filled with glowing lanterns of self-contained light. Sofie's hand never left hers, but she could see how eagerly she watched the various comings and goings of the college members. "I will show you to the library- Urag gro-Shub is our book master and he will be more equipped to help you with your inquiry than I."
Svala nodded, feeling her stomach drop as her eyes found another Altmer...this one clad in Thalmor robes. She tightened her grip on her cloak, bringing it higher on her face to obscure herself from view. "Mala what's wrong?" Sofie asked, ever observant at her side.
"Cold," she bit out, glaring at the back of their guide. Was she walking into a trap? She would have to get Sofie to safety..."Don't worry about me, just think of what books you'll get."
The trio passed through another stone archway, climbed a spiral staircase, and stopped in front of a massive wooden door. "This is where I leave you. May you find the answers you seek," their guide told them with a tight smile, a quick nod of the head, and was gone.
No sooner had they entered the library then Sofie was off, running towards the seemingly endless stacks of magical books and tomes, and a gruff orcish voice was calling, "Hey! Hundreds of years has gone into assembling this collection. It's going to stay pristine, understood?"
"Of course," Svala agreed, only to find Sofie by her hip once more, suddenly shy. She was staring at the orc with eyes as wide as saucers, her small arms already laden with a few volumes.
"Is this all?" The surly librarian rose, peering down at Sofie. "Not all of those are able to leave the college grounds, but I have some copies I can sell."
"Please," she tried to smile (in what she hoped) was a warm manner, despite the paranoia wreaking havoc in her gut. "But there is something else I require...you don't happen to have an Elder Scroll here, do you?"
Urag gro-Shub stared at her blankly. "And what do you plan to do with it? Do you even know what you're asking about, or are you just someone's errand girl?"
She pinched the bridge of her nose, doing her best to keep her tongue in check around the child. "Do you have one or not?"
"Ha! You think that even if I did have one here, that I would let you see it? It would be kept under the highest security," the orc told her indignantly. "The greatest thief in the world would not be able to lay a finger on it."
"You sure?" Svala smiled darkly at him. "I have some pretty talented friends in low places. How confident are you in that theory?"
After a tense moment, Urag laughed heartily. "You've got spunk, I'll give you that. But no, we're not hiding an Elder Scroll here. I can't tell you much more than that."
He was hiding something from her- perhaps he wouldn't talk to any random visitor but... "What if it were the Dragonborn asking?" She reasoned with herself that he was an orc, less likely to turn her into the Thalmor (even if there was one strolling around the campus) than an Altmer or Imperial.
"What about...wait. Are you? Are you the one the Greybeards were calling?" She nodded quickly. "Well then, I'll bring you everything I have on them- but don't get your hopes up. It's not much; mostly lies, leavened with rumor and conjecture." He was gone for only a moment, returning with only 2 books. She opened her mouth to complain, but upon seeing the older orc's severe expression, thought better of it.
The first book, Effects of the Elder Scrolls, contained a hundred different hazards for what would happen to those dim enough to actually read the scrolls. They have not, however, developed adequate discipline to stave off the mind-shattering effect of having a glimpse of infinity. These unfortunate souls are struck immediately, irrevocably, and completely blind.
"Blindness?" She exclaimed in horror. "You mean I'll go blind reading it?!"
Urag continued to stare at her blankly, his expression giving nothing away. Sighing, she picked up the second book, only to find it...well, unreadable.
"This is one manner in which the Scrolls first came to pass, but are we the sea, or the breather, or the fabric? Or are we the breath itself?" She read aloud. "What is this shit?"
"Aye, that's the work of Septimus Signus," the old oriser chuckled at her. "He's the world's master of the nature of the Elder Scrolls, but...well. He's been gone for a long while. Too long."
"Where did he go?"
"Somewhere up north, in the ice fields. Said he found some old Dwemmer artifact, but well, that was years ago. Haven't heard from him since."
Dread filled Svala. "Is he dead?"
Urag's face fell slightly. "Oh no, I hope not. But even I haven't seen him in years, and we were close. Became obsessed with the dwemmer, took off up north saying he found some artifact in an old ruin...Alftand was it? Anyway his place was somewhere in the ice fields if you want to try to find him."
Trekking through the ice fields in search of a dead man was about as appealing as it sounded. "And Alftand? Where is that?"
"About south west of here. But be warned- those old dwemmer ruins are as dangerous as they come. I wouldn't go alone," he warned her, although his gaze had fixed on Sofie who had made a second pass through the library and returned with more books. "You're going to owe me more gold for those, you know."
She handed him a hefty purse of septims with her thanks, and a warning. "Just so we're clear, I was never here, should anyone ask."
Urag gro-Shub scoffed at that. "Please, I can barely remember what I had to break my fast. Your face, and your pint sized bookworm have already been forgotten."
She grabbed Sofie's hand (hidden somewhere underneath her massive stack of books) and pulled her out of the library.