Blue Palace, Solitude, 28th of Last Seed
"Idgrod!" Aurora exclaimed just as she pushed the last piece of deer meat and a deppressing looking potato into her mouth.
The young woman, who had merely been passing by the hall, looked at Aurora with a surprised expression. It appeared as if she was about to make a courtsay, but remembered that she had been asked not to, and aborted her mission. As Aurora was chewing her last piece of lunch, Idgrod walked up to the Jarl.
"What are you up to?" Aurora asked.
Idgrod had still not succeeded in removing her surprised expression. "I… uh… I don't…" she began.
"Great! Let's have some wine," Aurora said and pushed a chair out. "Sit down," the woman grinned.
Idgrod obeyed and slowly sat down in the chair. "I have a rather unpleasant meeting after lunch," Aurora said, pouring Idgrod a glass of wine. "With Vittoria."
Idgrod took her glass just as Aurora placed the bottle on the table and reached for her own wine. "I just met her," Idgrod said in a low tone.
"Oh?" Aurora mumbled. "What did you speak about?"
Idgrod looked down to the table whilst holding her glass in her right hand. Aurora noticed that the young woman appeared to be, if not upset, at least somewhat downhearted. The heir to Morthal was by no means the citizen of Solitude that contributed the most to a happy atmosphere, but this day, Idgrod looked even more miserable than she usually did. "Well… we did not exactly speak… she…" Idgrod began.
Aurora realised where the conversation was going, and that the bitch Vittoria probably was the one being responsible for Idgrod's unhappy expression. The Jarl crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, waiting to hear what nasty thing that Imperial witch had uttered to Aurora's protégé. "She what?" Aurora asked. "What did she say?"
Idgrod did not move her eyes, but pinned them to the table in front of her, blushing of shame. "That…" she began but breathed out instead of finishing the sentence. Three seconds later, she took a new breath and continued: "Your dress is lovely, Morthal. I'll get your model for my maid."
Aurora rolled her eyes. Vittoria was such a bitch, she thought. As she spent more time on the Haafingar throne, she had established a genuine dislike of the leader of the East Empire Trading Company. The woman was arrogant, nasty, and would probably spare nothing and no one if it meant she would accomplish her goals. Aurora could think of nothing which was sacred to Vittoria, and the Jarl had a particular aversion for people like her. Ulfric and Vittoria would have been each others' equals, Aurora thought. It was a great shame they were not on the same side in the war, for they would have made a lovely, extorting couple, being as vulpine as both of them were.
Idgrod's mother – Idgrod the Older, had written to Aurora, complaining about the effects the price hikes had on her Hold. The citizens of Solitude were unhappy about the situation, but at least no one advocated for her to resign as Jarl, which was the case in Hjaalmarch. The Ravencrone family did not have it easy, first being expelled, only to return in such a difficult situation.
"Oh, I don't have anything against her… she is important to Morthal…" Idgrod quickly added.
Aurora chuckled slightly inwardly and thanked the Gods she did not have to hold her tongue as much as the Ravencrones were forced to.
The door suddenly opened and Vittoria walked in confidently, with her head held high. The woman always looked as if she owned the place, and this annoyed Aurora greatly. The Jarl gazed up from her table as the other Imperial placed herself just in front of the table, about two yards away.
"Vittoria Vici," Nilsine said, hurrying after her.
Vittoria turned her head and looked at the Stewardess for two or three seconds whilst Aurora continued to observe her. The Jarl knew what that arrogant woman though of and wished to convey with her gaze: that she needed no one to introduce her.
"You wished to speak," Vittoria said and sat down in the sofa opposite the table.
Nilsine, who had obviously not let Vittoria in, and was forced to run after her as she entered the Jarl's cabinet, appeared somewhat confused with what to do. As Vittoria sat down, the Stewardess made a curtsay and turned her heel, walking through the door, shutting it after herself.
Aurora did not know how to begin the conversation. She crossed her arms in front of the table and leaned forwards. The woman in the sofa was beautiful, and this contributed to the picture of her being bitchy. Her face was oval, her skin soft and of an olive tone. Her brown eyebrows were bold and situated rather high, as her eye socket was large and round. The woman had full lips and straight, white teeth. She had been given the rare combination of being unusually pretty, influential and rich, and if she had not been such a pain, perhaps they could have been good friends, Aurora thought. Sadly, the situation was very different, and she had made herself Aurora's greatest nemesis in Solitude.
"A month ago, the grain prices went up quite… substantially. My people are upset – the poor cannot even buy enough flour," Aurora said with a strained grin.
"I know," the woman answered, raising her eyebrows slightly, as if it was the most natural thing Aurora could say to her.
Vittoria tried to look innocent, Aurora thought, but she saw right through her. The Jarl understood it perfectly well that the East Empire Trading Company chief had made this on purpose. Aurora did not understand what that purpose was, but she was adamant at finding out.
"And now the prices on textile, metal, meat… even wood have gone up by a third," Aurora continued.
"I thought you were more considerate about the raise in prices considering how the situation has changed since the peace treaty," Vittoria answered, still seemingly untouched by the situation.
Drop the shit, Vittoria, Aurora thought. "Be more straight to the point, Vittoria," she said. "How exactly has the situation changed?" she asked, rolling her eyes and expecting a bad excuse.
For the first time, Vittoria looked genuinely surprised. During three or four seconds, she remained still with her mouth slightly open. Aurora understood that there was something Vittoria knew, and had expected the Jarl to be familiar with too. The woman probably did not intend to appear as surprised as she did, as she quickly changed her tone and expression.
"Oh, so the gossip does not reach you?" she asked. "There is a 30 percent tax on our profits, which goes directly to Ulfric's…" the woman began and made an artificially long pause in order to stress the words that followed. "…to Skyrim's treasury."
Vittoria's facial expression and tone had changed to be arrogant, almost as if she was bashing Aurora for not knowing anything about the matter.
"As you can imagine, I have to adjust my prices to keep a margin for my investors. Otherwise there would be no goods to put a price on at all," she continued, almost grinning at the Jarl.
The woman stood up with the same superiour expression that made Aurora want to strangle her, and walked up to the table, crossing her arms. She looked down on Aurora, promting the Jarl to do the same in order not to lose the silent argument. For a few seconds, the women were gazing at one another, squinting slightly and smiling insincerely before Vittoria turned her heel and walked through the door without making a curtsay or bowing her head in respect for who should be her superior.
"Nilsine!" Aurora roared angrily after a few seconds. "Nilsine!"
The door opened, and the short Stewardess hurried towards her Jarl with an apologetic expression.
"Why did you not inform me?" Aurora yelled.
"I am sorry, my Jarl, I did not know!"
Nilsine looked upset, standing by the table with her hands in front of her and shoulders brought forward. Aurora sat down, leaning her right arm against the armrest of her chair, looking to the side, touching the corner of her mouth with three of her fingers. She was certain that Vittoria was not bluffing – the woman had nothing to gain from it as the lie would be busted. No, the trading company's chief wanted her to know of what appeared to have been a badly kept secret part of the peace deal.
Vittoria was the Emperor's cousin, meaning that she probably had more insight into what had been agreed on than Aurora. The East Empire Trading Company's profit went to promote their master's interest. Ulfric probably hoped to reduce their influence, as it would mean that the Empire controlled a smaller part of Skyrim's economy, Aurora thought.
The woman calmed down a bit. It was good news, though, because it meant Skyrim's treasure could finance the well needed road. That way, Vittoria would sadly get away with what she wanted, but it would also solve a headache for Aurora.
"Bring me a courier!" Aurora ordered. "We're writing to the High King."
"Do you want to dictate the letter to me?" Nilsine asked.
"No, I'll write it myself," Aurora said. "Just get me a courier!"
The girl was nearly two years old, and Aurora still could not grow used to how much Katia had changed since the beginning of the war. The child, next to whom the woman had slept for almost four months did not appear to recognise her when she returned to Solitude. The quarter-Khajiit was accustomed to her nanny, an arrangement Ulfric had made as Aurora had arrived.
People paid little attention to the Jarl's protege. Most did not know of her existence as she was kept in the outer wing of the palace where Aurora had ordered a child's chamber to be built. The Jarl had a somewhat strained relationship with the maids, as she had not had time to employ another helper, forcing the two young women to work harder than usual – this having been the situation for the past few months.
She thought that perhaps she could ask Nilsine to take care of the issue during that week. There were many hopefuls in Solitude these days, with the influx of people coming there to seek their fortune.
Aurora looked at the girl and pressed her lips together, blowing her cheeks out. Katia was smiling, and clapped her hands together, making Aurora blow the air out. The Jarl chuckled slightly and turned around in her office, towards the door.
"Oh, Harrald, I didn't expect you until later," she said, surprised to find him just outside of her cabinet. "This is Katia, my protege."
The man had been standing outside, behind the open door, uncertain whether to interrupt the woman or not. As Aurora looked at the girl she was holding in her arms, the Nord decided to approach the woman. He took a few calm steps towards them, but stopped about a yard and a half away.
"The half-Khajiit, I've heard of her," he stated neutral, if not slightly dry manner.
"Quarter. She is quarter-Khajiit," Aurora corrected him, looking at Katia and smiling.
"Yeah, why don't you just send her to Riften? There's a perfectly fine orphanage there," Harrald asked.
Aurora looked at him sternly, but not as much to inform him of her disdain as to make him chuckle at her facial expression. "I knew her father, he was a very nice man who showed me the road half across Morrowind," she said. "He and his wife were murdered by a group of extorters. I don't think Riften can be safer for her than the Blue Palace," the woman continued, raising her eyebrows and looking down to the floor.
"No one cares about a child. The bandits were obviously after her parents," Harrald answered.
Aurora opened her mouth to brush off his comment, but Erdi, the maid entered, holding a tray with cups and an old, heavy kettle. She carefully, almost silently, walked into the cabinet and placed the tray on a side table on the left side of the room. Both Aurora and Harrald's gazes were drawn to her as she leaned over and adjusted the cups.
"Do you see many quarter-Khajiits around?" Aurora asked, turning her head towards the man. "I don't want to risk it, and it has nothing to do about me doubting Laila's ability to run the Skyrim orphanage. I am sure she has full control of her Hold."
The woman then quickly turned to the maid. "Thank you, Erdi," Aurora said. "I hope this isn't too much trouble for you. I will hire another maid to help you with the cleaning, I just haven't gotten to it yet."
"Oh, it's fine, my Jarl," the young maid said and made a quick curtsay before walking up to Aurora and taking Katia from her.
Aurora sat down in her sofa and heard Erdi's quick, nearly silent footsteps disappearing out of the cabinet. The Jarl threw her head back, leaning it against the frame of the sofa, looking at Harrald with her eyes half closed. For a moment or two, there was a complete silence. Harrald was observing the mountain of parchment rolls at Aurora's table, then the book shelves at the other side of the room.
"Oh, Harrald, would you mind pouring me a cup?" she asked, almost sighing.
The man did as he was told and soon turned his back towards the woman, gripping the heavy kettle and preparing her tea. As he turned around, Aurora saw that he was grinning and raised an eyebrow as if to as "what?".
"You weren't as commanding before," the Nord smiled, winking.
"Well, I didn't have a town full of devious bastards to oversee before" Aurora answered, reaching for the cup of tea as she chuckled.
Harrald took three steps further onwards, passed the woman and fell down in the sofa about a yard away from her. "Vittoria is bothering you again?"
"Oh, don't even start on her!" Aurora hissed. "She's the slyest of them all!"
Harrald looked around the room, noting the open door. He then leaned forwards, gazing at the woman instead. "I'd look out for her husband," the Nord spoke. "My mother may trust the Snow-Shods, but they are involved with the Black-Briars."
"That marriage," Aurora said, ignoring Harrald. "They may pretend that everything is all sweet and lovely and that they are the symbol of peace and cohesion after the civil war, but Vittoria isn't a happily married woman," the Jarl continued almost angrily. "She is way too bitchy to be experiencing marital happiness."
Harrald looked at her as if he was slightly troubled. Aurora understood that she had said too much – apparently their friendship was not deep enough to discuss people of Vittoria's importance. The Jarl felt somewhat disappointed with Harrald – had he been Olfina, everything would have been fine.
"Hey, Aurora. I understand that there is diplomacy involved… You must have your reasons considering the fact that Ingun is a Black-Briar… I can see how there can be advantages, whether if it is to keep friends or enemies close… I just want to say, that I'm keeping an eye on her."
Aurora chuckled at the man's indecisiveness when it came to presenting whatever he tried to convey. The woman did not grasp what Harrald was on about at all. "On Ingun? What are you on about?"
"Well, I assumed there must have been a reason to why a Black-Briar suddenly works in Solitude. Especially since their most important business partner is married to Vittoria Vici."
Aurora was puzzled and did not do a good job in hiding it. "Harrald," she began, understanding that he was on about something that had to do with a family feud of a sort. "I needed an alchemist, and Ingun was the only one who showed an interest for the job. It's only now I've realised what an oddball she is."
The woman observed Harrald, who was leaning his elbows on his knees, holding the palms of his hands together and pressing the index fingers towards his lips. A portion of his dark blond hair had fallen forwards, casting a shadow on his nose. The candles in the corners of the cabinet produced a soft, albeit dim light. Aurora did not know if this contributed to the red tones of his face, or if the man was truly embarrassed.
"Is Vittoria's husband a Black-Briar investor?" she asked.
Suddenly, Harrald turned his head towards the door. Aurora did the same a mere moment afterwards, noticing Olfina walking towards them from the hall. The woman wore what appeared to be a new dress – it was mostly of a dark, green colour, with a crème coloured middle section of the corset and prominent puffs at the end of the sleeves. The woman, who was naturally beautiful absolutely shone – and so did Harrald's face upon seeing her.
The Nord woman was holding a book in her right arm, which Aurora noticed as her friend walked past Harrald, without noticing his idolising gaze, and sat down in the armchair closer to Aurora. The Jarl elbowed the man, to which he hastily continued:
"Yes, that's why I don't trust the Snow-Shods, even though Vittoria's husband's brother is my mother's Housecarl," he said, but his gaze remained pinned at Olfina. "I've placed an infiltrator withing the Black-Briar family."
"You Law-Giver versus the Black-Briar families…" Olfina complained, looking down into her book.
"A bit strong coming from a member of the Grey-Mane versus Battle-Born conflict," Aurora hissed.
Olfina moved her gaze from the book to Aurora, showed her tongue, and quickly returned to reading again.
"So how's your work going?" Aurora asked Harrald, grinning from ear to ear.
"Good," Harrald said and finally looked at Aurora. "There's not much to do with regards to the army, though. I just make sure I keep fit."
"It sounds like you have a lot of time on your hands," Olfina said without looking up.
"What Olfina meant to say was that you should entertain her more often as she has absolutely nothing to do," Aurora spoke softly, but teasingly, looking at the man.
As the Jarl was busy bullying the Nord man, Olfina managed to find a pillow behind her back, leaned forwards and hit Aurora on her shoulder. The Imperial only noticed the soft weapon as it approached her cheek and therefore did not have time to duck. She merely rolled her shoulders forwards, pulling them to her ears whilst laughing slightly. In this chaos, the trio did not notice how Idgrod entered the cabinet.
"Sorry I'm late," she said.
All three of them quickly turned their heads towards the short woman by the door. She carefully walked towards the group, remaining standing behind the sofa. Olfina lost interest in her and returned to reading her book, whilst Aurora and Harrald awkwardly half-turned their necks in order to see the Morthal heir.
"You can't be late," Olfina hissed, continuing to read her book. "We merely agreed on meeting up in the evening."
Idgrod smiled nervously.
"You are so rude, Olfina," Aurora said, sighing.
"What are you working with here in Solitude?" Harrald quickly asked in order to change the subject.
"Oh, I'm probably on search for a marriage," Idgrod said. "I think."
Aurora laughed. "I think, in a way, that all of your parents are."
Olfina looked at her with an upset expression, then continued with her silly book.
"Why don't you guys marry?" Idgrod asked, looking at Harrald and Olfina.
Aurora chuckled slightly, understanding how angry Olfina would be at Idgrod for saying such nonsense. Harrald looked away, to the side, and Olfina rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to marry Harrald," she said.
"Why?" Harrald suddenly asked, turning towards her. "We're friends, it could have been worse."
"So would marrying a toad," Olfina said. "Why don't you two marry?" she asked Idgrod.
"Because both of us are heirs," Idgrod said. "The rest of the Jarls would not accept two separate Holds being controlled by a single family."
Aurora grinned, leaning her head against her right knuckle. "Yeah, why don't you propose?" she asked Harrald. "You can write to the Jarl and ask her to propose a marriage between Olfina and you to Vignar."
"Not without Olfina's permission. She would kill me," Harrald smiled.
"Exactly!" Olfina said. "I'm dangerous."
Aurora chuckled.