Chapter 9 business in solitude
"Shasha you are well trained in magic you just need to practice." I smiled as i remember the little altmer demonstrated a fire spell. "So keep practicing and you will become what you want."
"Thank you sir, i want to become a warlock sir for the dominion!" she shouted the last part and i laughed. "What did i do something funny?"
"No child i just know you wanted to be that." I patted Shasha's shoulder. "But i am off now i will be back before noon."
"Sir are we ready to depart?" Arundil asked me when i joined her at the gate. I nodded in response."So to castle dour to speak with the general?"
"Yes to tell we will take a fort meet an informant in the thalmor office and go back." I replied while mounting my horse which Elenwen graciously given to me. "And then we will take the fort settle in repair and improve."
"That seems good enough for me, my lord what will you do when they don't approve of the fort?" Arundil said while looking around for any danger. "I mean this is imperial country not ours."
"Well they will because it will be beneficial for them or so we let them think that." I looked at Arundil with a smile. "You know Arundil without the warrior mask you are very gorgeous i am sure you will have plenty off mer vying for your hand no?
"No sir, when they hear that I'm a red legionnaire they don't want me but thanks for the compliment." She replied looking at me. "What about you sir? You are good looking yourself and all."
"Yes there is someone in alinor but we... have a bit of a rough spot between us now." I replied looking at the black mare on which i ride. "But maybe it will be all right maybe not only time will tell. Besides you are in love or so you told your dad right?"
"Yes sir i did and it is true. I don't think he will love me like i love him he is busy most times or maybe he just likes to tease me with compliments and smile i just don't know." She replied with a bit of anger in her voice.
"Well i tease you as well if you want me to stop just say it and-"
"no sir it is quiet all right that you do i know you don't whish to give me false hope and you don't not precisely but from you it is better than any mer ever can give me." She said cutting me off.
"Look at solitude i see one advantage of the city, that's that it is very defensible location. But the walls are not sturdy in my eyes few well placed ballista's and trebuchet's maybe some explosive magic and the walls are down besides the gate is of reinforced wood." I said while looking at the walls.
"And if the attackers blew up the rock which the palace stands on you have lost the most important part of the city." Arundil pointed out. "But we are nearing the gates my lord it is not wise to talk about it with those nords about."
"Good point shall we look around before heading to the general or first general then after look around?" i asked while dismounting my horse. "I want to know your opinion as well Arundil your special."
"Yes let's look around first and then the general." She said while i paid a small amount of gold to a Breton boy who said his name was Blaise. "Let's see how a Nordic city looks like perhaps allot like the imperial towns?"
"I don't know sir imperial fashion their towns after the populace like bruma Nordic and cheydinhal dunmer." She said while looking at the walls of solitude. "Besides i don't live or will ever live here if i have any say in it."
"Indeed my friend truer words have never been spoken." I chuckled a little when the doors of solitude opened by 2 guards. "Guardsman where are the shops located?"
"The shops are located near the town gates and castle dour has a bow and arrow shop and the smith the rest are across the street from castle dour." One guard says to me and Arundil.
We walked the streets off solitude. I looked at the buildings how it is made typical stone work with a wooden roof.
"Sir Can we enter here?" Arundil asked while pointing to a shop called 'radiant raiment'.
"Yeah sure but if those nord's think-"
"Sir we don't know who owns the shop let's just look around and see okay?" Arundil said with a stern voice. "Besides try and be open minded about these human you give them little chance."
"Because slaves don't deserve to be treated like a pure-bred mer like us Arundil." I said with a playful smile. "But let us go inside." I opened the door for Arundil and walked in after her.
"If you are heading towards the blue palace you might wish to change your appearance" a female voice said from somewhere.
"What is wrong with my legion glass armor?" i asked while looking around to see somebody.
"O a legion glass armor?"The voice said. "Let me introduce myself i am Taarie. And you are?" a female altmer stepped out of a room into the shop.
"I am thorein and this is Arundil she wanted to look around." I replied with a slight nod towards the mer called Taarie.
"A welcome to radiant raiment for all your clothing needs." I snorted in reply. "So how can we help you?"
"Well i wanted maybe a dress or something?" Arundil said. "For special occasions."
I handed Arundil a bag of gold. "here is five thousand gold i will go see the smith i will see you in front of castle dour, yes? "
"That is good sir."
I walked out of the shop and towards where the guardsman said where the smith was.
"If you ever need some money come talk to me" a raspy voice said to me. And an argonian stepped out of the dark corner it hid in
"Not interested argonian." My stern reply came swiftly. As i walked what seems to be a walk way stairs kind of thing i saw a forge and a Nordic man repairing some imperial heavy armor.
"Greetings smith, do you have some gold, silver and malachite ingots for sale?" i asked the man with a hint of disgust.
"Yes i have some silver and malachite ingots for sale. Four silver and ten malachite." The smith replied without looking up.
"Then i will buy them all how much do you want from it?" i said looking at the forge.
"Let me think five hundred gold for the silver and seven hundred for the malachite." Came the smiths reply.
I counted out the coin and placed them on the table where some iron weapons where located.
"Let me get your ingot's." the smith said walking away.
Well one thing is for sure the view is pretty in places like this.
Well here are your ingots sir can i get you anything else?" the smith said while placing a bag on the table.
"Yes i would like to use your forge and bench if that is all right?" i asked the smith.
"Sure enough if you got the skills i see no harm in it."
I worked to make two silver rings and three silver necklaces and improved the fittings off my armor and sharpened my sword and spear.
When i was done i strapped my armor on Arundil came towards the smithy with a smile. "Here this is yours sir i didn't need everything but thanks."
"He this is part of your payment so i didn't paid for it." I let out a small laugh. "Come let's meet the general." As we walked into the courtyard of castle dour i saw on the battlements a hooded figure waving. "Delay that first the informant before the general."
"As you wish sir i looked at the layout of the city and the thalmor tower is there." Arundil pointed towards a tower and then began walking towards a set of stairs.
We arrived at the tower and stepped inside." You are send by the ambassador are you not?" a hooded mer said.
"No not precisely but we are here for your information regardless. Before we start first introductions my name is thorein and this is Arundil and you are?" i asked the hooded mer.
"My name is Meleran and my information regards the so called thane Erikur he is a stupid nord like to have sex with mer." I snorted in disgust. "His sister is Gisli everyone ignores her because of him if you could replace him with her she would become a viable asset to our operations."
"Hmm sounds good but do you know for certain she would aid us instead of these filthy barbarians?" i asked. "And besides what can she do for us if this Erikur is out of the way?"
"Well for starters East Empire trading routes and a powerful ally in solitude that isn't corrupted by some other like the so called high queen." Meleran said calmly.
"Okay good if you can see her our way than sent word to me immediately, from there, we will discuss it further do you have anything else for us?" i said after a few seconds thought.
"Well besides they are going to send the man responsible for ulfrics escape after he killed the high king and several rumors about things, no not much." Meleran with a grin.
"good well do what you must to see this Gisli woman see reason for our aid and if there is trouble with Erikur i would like to hear it as well no we must go." I said with a nod towards Meleran. "A good day Meleran and hope you will succeed."
As we walk towards the general location several guardsman look at me and Arundil.
"Sir why do these nords look at us like that?" Arundil whispered to me.
"They don't want trouble with the thalmor because it may scatter the fragile peace we have with the empire and because they must keep order in this city and they think we are here to cause trouble i think." I whispered back. "But come let see the general and then head back this city although nice it is too barbaric for me."
"What is your business here?" a nord legionnaire asked at the door. "Official business only the general is a very busy man."
"We are here to see the general about thalmor business." I said with a hint of disgust in my voice.
"Stay here i will ask the general if he can receive you." With that the man entered the building.
"Why do they act like they protect the emperor or maybe a hidden plan?" Arundil whispered. "I don't like it one bit sir."
"Calm yourself Arundil they have regulations like us so i understand besides it is not like they want to make us angry they can't afford it." I said with a small nod towards the other legion soldier by the door.
"The general can receive you now sir." The nord legionnaire said.
I walked indoors with Arundil at my heels.
"So my men tell me you have thalmor business to discuss?" an imperial man in general attire said. "I am general Tullius and what do you want?"
"I am Thorein and we want Fort Hraggstad." I replied looking down on the imperial man.
"And why would you want that you have enough place for your business already?" a quick retort came from the imperial. "So why should i grant you anymore room then you already have?"
"Because soldiers need to train and we will keep the trading routes safe and we will aid in patrolling the roads so you can have your soldiers fight stormcloaks. I said with a grin. "Besides that fort is taken over by bandits you don't have the route secure we will."
"Fine. But don't think i like it one bit that you train soldiers." The man said with a hint of anger.
"Well if your soldiers don't train they wouldn't be effective against stormcloaks so neither will ours general.
A nord woman came clanking inside.
"General Tullius you sent for me." The woman said.
"Yes but first i have business with these 'fine gentleman' over here." The imperial said.
I snorted at his words. "There is nothing else to discuss general we will leave you to your civil war."
I turned on my heel and walked away with a hint of arrogance.
"Well sir that went well why did you want me here?" Arundil asked when we were outside. "The general didn't seem to like us having a fort of our own."
"No he doesn't he will sent spies to check on us mark my words. I wanted you here because f things went sour i could use your fighting skills beside me." I jabbed her shoulder lightly. "But what did you see when that woman came into the room?"
"I saw a warrior sir why?" Arundil's reply came after a moment.
"I saw a talos worshipper by the look she gave us, but come we have to get back and prepare the men for the fort." I replied.
"Sir why did we wait so long before we went to solitude? We have been here for 2 weeks already." Arundil asked after we mounted our horses.
"Scouting the fort takes time." I replied. "And more information of skyrim was also handy."