Chapter 17

Blood on the Ice

The next few days really were torture, he spent the entire time teasing her physically with playful kisses, deep massages and the only time he let her be was when she complained of cramps.

"Ah, the mighty Dragonborn, her greatest weakness - menstrual cramps!" he'd say laughing.

They'd finally completed all of the tasks given to them by the people throughout Windhelm. Rona was holding the White Phial in her hand examining it as they rode towards the city in the distance. She frowned, "Think he'll be upset that it's cracked?"

Bishop shrugged, "I don't know, does he seem like the kind of guy who'd be upset about it?"

"He's an altmer," she moaned.

Bishop burst out laughing, "Oh yeah, he's gonna be pissed."

"At least we found a Word of Power in that cave. That made it worth it," she said putting the Phial away in her pouch.

"So how many shouts is that now?" Bishop asked her.

Rona thought for a moment, counting on her fingers before she said, "Let's see, Unrelenting Force, Throw Voice, Kyne's Peace, Whirlwind Sprint, Elemental Fury, Frost Breath, and Disarm so far, that makes seven. That word...Krii, I think it means kill."

"Well don't go shouting it at me," Bishop pulled on Whiskey's reins directing him away from her slightly.

She smirked, "I don't even have the knowledge for it yet. We'll have to kill another dragon."

He groaned, "We haven't killed enough already? There's been at least twenty of them!"

"Six," she corrected, "We've killed six since leaving High Hrothgar. I was able to learn two more shouts since then."

"Guess it's better for you to learn this way than up there," he said soberly.

She knew he worried for her safety and would rather she trained up on High Hrothgar, but they both knew what that would mean as well. Grumpiness and all around bickering from both of them. To be honest she was starting to worry more and more for him and his wellbeing. The last two dragons put up quite a fight and there were several instances when she was sure she was going to lose him in a wave of fire. The dragons seemed to be honing in on her too, like they could sense her presence. It seemed like they could barely go anywhere without one flying overhead.

Arngeir had told her dragons liked to dominate one another, perhaps the more dragons she killed the higher she was climbing in some sort of dragon hierarchy and so consequently dragons sought her out to oust her from her place in the hierarchy and claim it for themselves. She made a mental note to ask Arngeir next time she saw him.

They returned to Windhelm and she met with Nurelion who was bedridden. He was, as they expected, thoroughly displeased about the fact that the Phial was cracked and only handed over a measly five gold for their troubles. His apprentice apologized and gave them a hefty five hundred in addition to it.

As they left the apothecary Rona was quite surprised when she quite literally bumped into Ulfric Stormcloak and his Steward as she rounded a corner into the graveyard.

"Ah - pardon me," he drawled, "Oh, Dragonborn Rona, so you're still visiting with us?"

"Uh, just for today," she said stepping back, "I was just finishing a task for...one of your citizens."

"Very good," he actually managed to smile without a sneer for once.

She asked him, "What brings you out of the palace?"

He chuckled, "Normally I come out to speak with my citizens, to listen to their troubles - though it seems you've taken care of most of them and for that you have my utmost gratitude. Today, however, I am meeting with my guardsmen and discussing the recent murder of the tavern girl Susanna. Unfortunately, I can no longer ignore the man slaughtering young women in my city."

She looked at him, horrified, "Susanna is dead?" She'd only met the woman briefly a few times while she worked at the inn. Susanna was nice enough and brought Rona a few drinks on the house and Rona tipped her well figuring she'd share it with Luaffyn.

"Yes, as of late last night. The murderer struck once again. It seems his focus is on young nord women, so I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," he glanced at her pointed ears and said, "Take care Dragonborn," and left them.

Bishop and Rona stopped off at the inn and he laid down on the bed, his hands behind his head while Rona sat in the chair, perusing over her journal and checking off the last of their tasks. She stared hard at the one she'd initially written in as a joke, Catch The Butcher. She'd never expected she'd ever catch the man, let alone attempt it, but now that another young woman was dead she knew she had to do something.

"So what's next?" Bishop yawned.

"I'm going to catch The Butcher," Rona said grimly.

Bishop cast a look at her and said, "No you're not."

"Yes. I am," she insisted.

He sat upright and spoke sternly, "You're crazy enough chasing after dragons, now you want to chase after someone with an actual brain? Look Ladyship, giant flying lizards are one thing, cold calculating serial killers are a whole 'nother. How would you even go about it? You heard Ulfric - the man's after nord women and you're only half a nord."

She got up and looked into the dresser mirror. "I just have to change my appearance, look more like a full blooded nord," she said.

"And how the hell are you going to do that!? He'll know it's you! Every single person in Eastmarch knows the girl with pink hair is the Dragon...born."

He watched as Rona ran glowing fingers through her hair, casting a spell to change the color from her natural strawberry to a shade of shimmering, golden blonde. She then waved a hand over her eyes making them sparkle from their vivid green to a dull blue.

She turned and looked at Bishop who stared at her, mouth partly open. "That's just...wrong," he muttered.

Rona dug through the dresser drawers pulling out some old servants clothes. She undid her dress and let it drop, then quickly pulled the white and brown clothes on. They were quite low cut and not the best fit but it would have to do. She grabbed Bishop's dark, thin cloak and threw it around her shoulders.

"How do I look?" she said as she pulled the blonde hair over her ears covering them.

He frowned, displeased by her new appearance, "Like a fucking nord."

"Good," she said smirking.

"No way," he said crossing his arms, "I'm putting my foot down. I'm not letting you do this."

"It'll be so easy," she assured him, "I'll wander around the streets at night and you'll hide in the shadows, to keep an eye out and if you see any creepy murderers stalking up just shoot an arrow into them!"

"This is the worst idea you've ever had, Ladyship."

She pleaded with him, "I can't let anymore people die Bishop, not if I can do something about it."

"No! Enough's, enough Rona! This one is not your problem, for once let someone else handle it! You don't have to save everyone!"

She stared sternly at him, "I'm going, with or without you."

They glared at one another, fighting with their expressions alone before Bishop finally gave in, groaning loudly, falling back onto the bed, "How do I always let you talk me into these things?"

As night fell over the city Rona was preparing herself, making sure her ears absolutely could not be seen. Bishop had his hands on her shoulders and looked down at the woman before him, "This is too strange," he said, "You look like a totally different person."

She smiled, "So the blonde doesn't suit me?"

He leaned down and whispered, "Never change Sweetness. I'll see you out there," and he kissed her on the cheek leaving her as he stepped out into the night.

She was amused that he wouldn't kiss her on the lips, wondering if it almost felt wrong to him.

After a few minutes passed by she slunk outside where Karnwyr snoozed on the steps, he was on his back, tongue lolling out of his mouth. She was grateful that she didn't wake him as she swept by, last thing she needed was an intimidating wolf following her around. It was well after midnight and the streets were eerily empty.

She turned left making her way towards the Gray-Quarter and followed the path they'd agreed on and she looked around, wondering where Bishop was hiding. Wherever he was he remained perfectly silent. She passed by a few guards, glancing at them and speculating if any of them were the murderer as their heads turned, eyes hidden by helmets following this strange nord woman through the streets.

Rona crept down the steps leading into the slums and jumped, startled at the sudden sounds of a drunk howling slurs at the top of his lungs, "Fucking Gray-skins! Damned no good dirty sneaks! You're all filthy, conniving skeevers, s'what you are! S'why you live down in this shithole!" he threw a mostly empty bottle of ale at one of the walls where it shattered loudly.

Rona desired nothing more than to blast the idiot into Oblivion with the power of her voice but knew better. She pressed her lips together as she made the awful trek through the slums, heading towards the drunk. It was Rolff, she was sure since Suvaris had mentioned last time they met that Angrenor was the old war veteran in rags.

Rolff caught sight of her and slurred, "Heeeyyy beautiful, what's a sexual *hic* sexy thing like yoouu... doing down here in this *hic* this filth?"

She gave him a friendly smile and said, "Just looking for you...baby," she made a pathetic attempt at sounding sultry.

"Oh yeah?" he stumbled towards her and wrapped a hand around her waist grabbing her ass. She cringed at the stench on his breath and prayed that Bishop would control himself.

She pushed him back lightly and said, "Now, now hun. Let's not do anything here. It's so...filthy. Meet me up at Candlehearth Hall in ten minutes."

"Mmm yeah, alright gorgeous. I will *hic* see you there," he moved in for a kiss and she turned her head so she got a cheek covered in drool.

He finally released her and stumbled off, taking the long way towards the inn leaving Rona to shudder and gag audibly in the alley as she wiped at her cheek. She glanced around her, still no sign of Bishop and no sign of the killer. She continued her trek back up the steps and through the city.

Snaking her way back around the inn with no sign of Rolff, thank the gods, she wandered off into the graveyard where she paused for a moment, looking over the blood staining the ground where Susanna had been left to bleed out. She heard what sounded like the shuffling of footsteps and looked back, flitting around anxiously. Nothing.

Rona turned back up towards the steps and made her way towards the marketplace. It was completely deserted at that time of day. She looked around and noticed something sparkling on the ground near the shop stands. She walked over and knelt down to get a better look. It was an amulet of some kind, an aqua green skull glowed in the center of it and she got a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach all of a sudden. Rona whipped around and saw the killer looming over her, knife in hand, he cried out and bore down on her only to stop midway as he grunted loudly, "GURK!"

Rona cried, "FUS RO DAH!" sending the killer careening across the marketplace, her shout alerting all the guards and waking the blacksmith and his apprentice who came out to see what all the commotion was about.

Bishop came out of the shadows, bow in hand and looked over at the corpse. The guards had their weapons drawn and cried, "Halt!"

He cast the bow aside and threw his hands up nodding to the broken man strewn across the ground, "There's your Butcher."

One of the guards pulled his helmet off, it was Benon. He said, "Mr. Bishop? But where's the Lady Dragonborn?"

Bishop looked over at her, nodding to the blonde nord standing before them. Benon looked even more confused until she pulled her hair away from her ears.

"Can you all please lower your weapons?" she asked anxiously, "Bishop was only protecting me when that man tried to kill me."

They lowered their weapons and Benon stepped over to look at the crumpled corpse on the ground. "By the Gods," he murmured, "It's Calixto," he turned back to the guards and ordered them to go search his house.

They left them and Benon walked over to Rona as Bishop collected his bow.

"I hope there's more evidence that he's the killer for your sake Lady Rona," Benon looked worried.

"The hell do you mean!?" Bishop spat, "We caught him red handed going to stab her in the back!"

Benon looked back at him, "Problem is that no one but you two saw it."

Bishop crossed his arms and grumbled, "So the word of the Dragonborn isn't good enough anymore?"

"Not when it comes to this!" Benon barked severely, "This is serious! Did you even clear your little stunt with the Steward first?"

Bishop turned away swearing under his breath.

"Here," Rona handed him the amulet, "I found this on the ground nearby, I think he might have been using it to distract me. It looks like something used in necromancy."

Benon took it and looked it over, "I'm still going to have to take you in to speak with the Jarl and the Steward, both of you."

They went quietly, heading straight for the palace while Benon followed them. Bishop scowled at her, "I told you this was your worst idea yet."

Rona pursed her lips, holding back a smile. She knew things would turn out fine, the murderer was dead and that's all that really mattered to her.

As they entered the darkened palace Benon asked one of the guards to retrieve the Jarl and his Steward indicating the Butcher may have been caught.

They waited around a while as the Steward entered first, "Was there another murder?"

Benon filled him in on what he knew before Ulfric burst into the hall grumbling, "You'd better have a good reason for disturbing my rest," he approached Bishop and Rona, not recognizing her in the slightest and composed himself. He sounded more polite when he said, "Ah, lovely maiden, is everything alright? Were you attacked by the murderer?"

She looked at him perplexed before realizing, "Oh!" and she ran her glowing fingers through her hair and across her eyes dispelling the spell and restoring her natural hair and eye color.

"Ah...of course...Dragonborn Rona. You looked better as a nord," he said groggily, "Now, what is it? Speak quickly."

"We caught your murderer," she said grabbing his undivided attention now. She explained everything to him, her plan and her walk through the city before she was attacked when Bishop shot the murderer with an arrow and she used her shout on him.

"I see and what proof do you have that Calixto was the murderer?"

She was stunned, "I...I don't have anything, all I know is that he was trying to kill me! I had to defend myself."

He seemed unimpressed and looked at her with half-lidded eyes, "Without any proof I will have to hold you until we can complete an investigation into these events."

"For how long?"

"It could be months, I'm a very busy man Dragonborn. I warned you about going around shouting at my citizens. Not to mention you didn't even bother clearing this little...ruse of yours with me or my Steward."

She gaped at him, not believing what she was hearing. Bishop groaned loudly in the background, "I fucking told you woman," he looked at the Steward and said again, "I fucking told her. But does she listen? No."

Just then the door to the palace burst open and two guards rushed in, one of them handed off several journals to the Steward who scanned through them quickly. "My Jarl, if you'd take a look at these."

Jarl Ulfric took them and looked them over. "Where did you get these?" he asked the guard.

"From a chest in Calixto's home."

"They match the ones we found in Hjerim," the Steward confirmed.

Ulfric sighed heavily and gave the evidence back to his Steward, "Well Dragonborn, it seems you and your companion are off the hook this time."

Rona exhaled, not realizing she'd been holding her breath the entire time.

Ulfric blinked slowly as he said, "So, I suppose I'll have to give you a title for all your good works in my city. I hereby grant you Thane of Windhelm, you have the right to purchase property, so on and so forth," he spun a hand in the air and held back a yawn. "Next time you decide to catch a killer, do me a favor and do it while it's still daylight out."

"Yes, of course Jarl Ulfric," she bowed politely and apologized for disturbing him.

Bishop and Rona left the palace quickly and saw Benon just outside, he was conversing with another guard who said, "Looks like Calixto got his hands on Rolff too. Slit his throat ear to ear."

Rona stopped abruptly and felt her pulse come to a complete stop.

"I thought he was only after nord women?" Benon wondered when he noticed the two of them standing by, "Ah, Lady Rona, any chance you saw Rolff on your walk through town this evening? I know he had a habit of bothering the dark elves in the Gray-Quarter."

She swallowed hard, "Yes, I did see him tonight. But I passed by him heading westward while he went east from the Gray-Quarter. I - I didn't think he'd be a target..."

Benon looked at her thoughtfully, "I see. Well that explains it. If Calixto was stalking you old Rolff might've gotten in his way. I'm glad you caught the killer miss. I don't know how much more bloodshed this city could take. Rolff...well he won't be missed terribly, poor old man was on his last legs anyhow, at the very least we'll hear less complaining from the elves."

She feigned a look of sorrow and Benon waved a hand and said, "Ah, please don't be that way Lady Rona! Really, it's not your fault. It's pretty late, I'll let you two go get some sleep."

Back in the privacy of their room Rona turned on Bishop and glared at him, "You didn't!?"

He smirked, "As far as I'm concerned, nobody touches you like that and gets away with it. Besides you heard the man, nobody's going to miss that deadbeat."

"You slit his throat ear to ear?" she gaped as he walked by her and sat down on the bed, undoing his boots and taking his shirt off.

He scoffed at her, "I've seen you do far worse Princess. Nearly cut the heads right off some of these bandits."

"That's different - they're bandits!"

"Are you really that upset about this guy?"

She faltered and sighed, "Well...no, he had it coming, but" she swiped a hand through her palm and argued, "you never go around killing local citizens - people in a community! That's just...it's Dark Brotherhood material."

He gave her a dark grin, "And who's to say I'm not an assassin?"

She crossed her arms and looked at him sardonically. He laid down on the bed yawning and turning away from her. "Caught your murderer Ladyship. Let's get some sleep."