Chapter 29: Interlude Three

[4E 525]

"So, B'lushona went hunting with Farkas."

"Yep, hunting bandits."

"And he writes that he had not seen an aurora before."

"How is this possible?"

"He did say that he's from another world, right? Maybe they don't have any there?"

"Hey, even here in Tamriel, I am not sure that one can see them everywhere. I vaguely recall a trader from Cyrodiil saying that at least in southern Cyrodiil there are no auroras, and even in northern Cyrodiil they are significantly less frequent than here in Skyrim."

"Why would that be?"

"I don't have the slightest clue."

The three teenage siblings - Bha'jhan, the Khajiit, Alander, the Bosmer, and Jomund, the Nord – had managed to sneak off up to the attic once more, and as soon as they had made sure that nobody was likely to come looking for them anytime soon, they had retrieved the old diary from the place where they had hidden it. They had started to read the next few chapters eagerly, but naturally there was a need to discuss various points.

Suddenly Jomund started to laugh, and when the others looked at him, he pointed to a specific section of the page in front of them. Quickly Alander and Bha'jhan caught up, and Alander laughed as well, whereas the Khajiit looked slightly embarrassed.

"So, this is Khajiit hunting style?"

"The hunting with Aela? No, it isn't; normally we are taught proper hunting by relatives. But who's around to teach him? And besides, it worked, didn't it?"

"Yep, I guess that it did, indeed, and it really reads funny. So, Bha'jhan, do you sometimes hunt like this?"

"What? Who do you think I am?"

"Well, a Khajiit, right, and a Khajiit is a kind of a predator cat, so…"

"Jomund, we are civilized people, like Nords and Bosmer and many others. But, just between the three of us, yes, we do have some times when some of us go out hunting just with a loincloth and a dagger and nothing else, and we try to hone our natural skills."

"Really? Have you done that, too?"

"I have, Alander, I have. Not just for hunting, but to learn about proper sneaking, judging wind directions, smelling, hearing, and sensing, and to be one with nature. This seems to be in our blood, and from time to time some of us do that."

"Cool! Maybe the three of us could once do that together?"

"Alander, for you this would have to be in mid summer; otherwise you'd freeze to death within less than one hour!"

"I guess that you're right about that."

They read some more, and then Jomund commented:

"I can't believe that he actually likes to go to school."

"But he did not go there for learning, but for teaching! This is different!"

"Oh yes, good point. And he certainly had a good idea about the books. For children at least, and maybe for some adults, too, some of the books should really be written in a way to make reading easier, rather than using so many complicated words."

"Why? I don't have a problem with that."

"Alander, we have all received some more advanced education here in our home, above and beyond what they teach at school. But you know as well as I do that many children only get the few years there, and once they are old enough, they have to help at home, with farming or crafting or whatever. They never get a chance to learn more, even if they want!"

"Right, brother, good point."

There was silence for quite some time now, and a few minutes later Jomund pointed out:

"Look, have you seen that? There are a few pages where something is scribbled in a different handwriting!"

"Yes, indeed, and it looks like it was added afterwards. Can you read this?"

"This is difficult to decipher, but look here, at the end of chapter 19, this looks like 'you're that new member of the Companions. So you, what – fetch the mead?'"

"What is this about?"

"This is when Balu had just joined the Companions, and I guess that the person who wrote that additional note is kind of mocking him."

"And look here, at the end of chapter 22: 'It is good Balu has shown he has brain as well as brawn'".

"What is 'brawn'?"

"This is another word for 'muscles'."

"Ah, all right, this makes sense. You know, this looks like somebody was reading the diary some time ago and added their personal comments."

"Right, this is a possibility. Look, there is another one we missed before, a few pages earlier: 'But now it's up to you to mentor again, and hope your Elvish charge doesn't let her "performance anxiety" show.' I am not sure what 'mentor' means, but Fiona sure has some anxiety."

For some time the three teenage boys read on, until Alander noticed the next side note:

"Look here, at the of chapter 26, another note: 'you killed Freya to a troll and not a dragon?'. What's that supposed to mean? Balu didn't kill the frost troll! Is this person implying Balu made this all up?"

"You know, we cannot be sure that this is all real. Who might be able to confirm or? Maybe this is all some kind of fantasy story anyway?"

"Yeah, and maybe even we are people in a story instead of real people?"

There was some chuckling around, and Alander pointed out:

"Look, there is another note written close to the previous one: 'Alas, poor Freya, we hardly knew ye, and you will be missed. Now it's up to Balu to get the heroine up to speed, lest they find the "Dragonborn" is a fluke and not what others hoped.' Ah, this is so nicely written!"

"Yeah, I have to admit that I did expect Freya to show up again and maybe seduce Balu!"

More chuckling, and finally Bha'jhan:

"Well, yes, indeed, that would have been nice, I guess. I wonder what his options are going to be now."

"Options for what?"

"For finding a mate, of course!"

"Maybe that's not one of his priorities?"

"Maybe not, but I bet that he's thinking about that a lot."

"Why would he?"

"Well, he is young and he is male, so?"

"Good point. Now, back to the Dragonborn – what is she going to do now? She failed in her first attempt to get up to High Hrothgar."

"Yeah, but see, Balu offers to help her."

"Maybe Balu tries to get close to her?"

"Nah, I think that he only tries to help her because this is what Akatosh told him to do and because he is a nice person. His writing does not imply that he sees her as potential mate."

"And she does not like predators!"

"Oh, we Khajiit can be predators but also very nice and romancing people, if we want to, but yeah, I think that this would not work; Balu will have to look somewhere else."

"Maybe in school? Look, here, he's back at school again, and he seems to have some fun with the kids!"

"Yes, but this is called socializing and not romancing. The school girls like him, but they like him like because he's big and furry and nice and all that.

"So, what are they up to now?"

"See, they are talking about going to Falkreath and getting a second housecarl for the Dragonborn."

"But you can't just shop for housecarls!"

"No, but once she becomes Thane, she will get one assigned, I think."

"Wait a second, a Jarl does not just promote a person to Thane just like this!"

"No, of course not. But think about this: This was the time of the Civil War, and a Dragonborn suddenly showed up. For the Jarl of any hold, it would be real good to claim that the Dragonborn is a Thane of their hold and, ideally, also lives in their hold, right?"

"Oh, good point. But still…"

"But anyway, we don't know if they're going to succeed with that. Maybe they are getting told that she needs to live in Falkreath for five years before she can even think abut becoming a Thane?"

"Yeah, but even Jarl Balgruuf the Greater named her Thane of Whiterun when she had just shown up, got he Dragonstone and defeated her first dragon."

"Right, that was also quite quick. Thinking of that, Balu had contributed to all of that at least as much as Fiona had, and he only got citizen rights, whereas Fiona became Thane. That was apparently a, what do they call it? A political decision."

"I guess that we'll have to read on to find what they can achieve in Falkreath, but for now they had at least managed to kill another dragon."

"How many dragons have that been so far?"

"Mirmulnir at the Western Watchtower, the one in Valtheim, and the one in Oakwood – three. Or did I miss one?"

"I just wonder if there were other dragons sighted at other locations, too. I mean, did people have to fight dragons without the Dragonborn being around, too?"

"Not sure about that; Balu does not tell, and maybe, when we read on, we will see if he encounters dragon when he is not without Fiona."

"So you think that they will separate again?"

"Balu seems to believe so. Look here – he wrote: 'then we go up to High Hrothgar with your two housecarls. Once we are done there, we can split up again'."

"Right. By the way, have you noticed? He is using some strange words again. What is an electronic calculator, and why would it help with counting?"

"Yeah, and who is Popeye and what is spinach, and why would this make muscles grow?"

"We may never learn, but I guess that we better go down again before anybody misses us; let's meet again when we all have some more time."

The others nodded, and for today the diary was carefully hidden again, and the three teenage boys left the attic.

[Author's Notes: I have started to add some sentences from reviews into notes here, and I hope that you like it! This gives me a chance to honor specifically some of the guest reviews which I cannot answer directly.]