Sapphire Night Eye ver2

by Risemonger

She is the shadow on the wall, but a beacon of hope. A mistress of the night and a hero of the day. Join Ty'ani as she is transformed from Riften's most feared thief to Skyrim's greatest hero. Khajiit protagonist. Rated M.

11. A Game at Dinner

4E 201
25th of Evening Star

Ty'ani's naked and exposed body was curled in a tight fetal position with her hands slammed over her ears, her sapphire orbs hidden behind closed lids in fear. The dark void she had been subjected to surrounded her, feeling as though she had been trapped in its vast density forever, her nudity adding to her vulnerability.

The sounds of multiple wing claps filled the emptiness at all sides, a cold presence to the air as the nightmares circled around her.

"Hin hah motmah, Dovahkiin." came that dreaded dark voice, one that had been haunting her for weeks. "Hin sil los sahlo."

"No!" she shrieked, attempting to flatten her hands harder over her ears but it was a fruitless effort as she was completely paralysed. This simple fact added to her terror as she tried desperately to block out the voice. It was pointless though, as it had burrowed directly into her mind, giving her no other choice but to listen. "No! Go away, go away!"

"Ful sahlo." it taunted. "Ful votahriik."

All around her, the voices of the other entities whispered to her, mocking her. "Sahlo! Votahriik!" they repeated over and over again.

Tears begun to fall from between her tightly shut lids, her breath coming in panicked pants. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed. As she was too afraid to open her eyes, she failed to notice the silhouette of a black apparition appearing before her. Enormous wings that seemed to fill the void itself wrapped around her form, smoky shadow blending with the emptyness around them and it's very form, the wisps trailing behind it's movements as a pair of red eyes glared directly at her.

"Hi fen luft zey, Dovahkiin, ahrk hi fen funt." it bellowed, the deep bass of it's voice vibrating through her being. "Hin kopraan ahrk sil fen nev, ahrk lein fen kos hah wah al."

Ty'ani screamed when the entity encircled her entirely, seeming to be squeezing the life-force out of her. She fought against the hold as best she could and amazingly, it seemed to have worked. The hold was released and she began falling, soon after landing hard upon her back causing her head to explode with pain. Immediately she shot up, her eyes wide as she glanced around in a frenzy. In a single second, panic rose again when she discovered that she couldn't see properly. All that met her vision was blurred shapes and colours. However, her ears twitched when she heard hurried footsteps thumping nearby.

In the next moment as she began to blink her eyes clear, that was when someone came round the corner, dashing to her side instantly. "By Gods, you alright dear? What happened?"

Inhaling breath like it was her last, the Khajiit finally managed to clear her vision. The form of the Companion's caretaker, Tilma the Haggard, knelt before her, the old woman's wrinkled expression one of great concern. Realising that she was in the sleeping quarters of Jorrvaskr, Ty'ani immediately relaxed, rubbing her eyes to wake herself up further.

"I-" she started hoarsely, her throat quite dry. Clearing it, she tried again. "I'm alright. Just a bad dream."

Despite her reassurance, Tilma still looked worried. "Bad enough to cause you to fall from bed. Are you hurt at all?" she fussed, prodding at the girl's head.

Gently pushing away her hands, Ty'ani gave the old woman a small smile. "Nothing bad, just a little bump. I've had worse."

Tilma smiled back at that. "Oh, as have everyone here. But I heard you yelling out quite loud, so that must have been quite the bad dream. If you ever need to talk to anyone about it..."

"I'll talk to you, I know." the girl finished for her, brushing her dishevelled hair over her shoulders as she rose from the floor. She stretched as Tilma stood also, glancing back toward her bed. Thankfully, she spotted the mess of blankets that made up Ar'jenn's nest were she had left it last night, the dire wolf pup herself still inside, though her cool blue eyes were open as she wriggled around on clumsy legs. Ty'ani nibbled her lip bashfully at this, feeling guilty that she had awoken the pup.

Tilma watched as the Khajiit gathered the wolf pup in her arms and sitting back on the bed, letting out cooing noises to sooth her. Soon enough though, she glanced around the area, seeing none of the other Companions around. Frowning, she looked up at the old woman with an inquiring expression. "What time of day it is?"

"It's mid-morning dear." Tilma answered. At the Khajiit's alarmed look, the elder just smiled kindly. "Oh don't worry yourself, there's no need for you to rush. It's Winter Solstice, so there will be no training today."

"Winter Solstice?" Ty'ani repeated, placing a hand on her forehead in realisation. With everything that had happened to her recently, and with her training occupying her attention, she didn't realise that Winter Solstice was coming. "Gods, I had completely forgotten." she mused.

"Don't worry too much about it, dear." Tilma told her. "You just get yourself ready. Oh, and that Housecarl of yours is waiting for you upstairs. It looked as though she has something to tell you." at that, the old woman gave Ty'ani one last smile and left, picking up a broom as she went.

Now alone, Ty'ani sighed. She couldn't believe that the Winter Solstice had completely slipped her mind. Not that she had let it bother her before of course, as Khajiit don't celebrate the Solstice the same way humans do. Plus, with the way her life had been in the past, she never had the luxury or interest in celebrating any of the holidays, unless she was there to steal from the party goers. In fact, Baranth Do was the first one she had attended legitimately.

Even still, since she now apparently has some time off training, she may as well make the most of it. She'll still meet with her companions at the Bannered Mare as usual, and decide where to go from there. But first, she had another matter to take care of before all that, as Ar'jenn whimpered and wriggled in her grip. Smiling, Ty'ani gently set the pup down on the bed. "All right, let's get you fed, Ar'jenn." she whispered, reaching into her bag for the bottle of left over milk from yesterday.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

After feeding Ar'jenn, Ty'ani soon dressed in her plain shirt, bodice, breeches, boots and cloak and made her way up to the main hall, the dire wolf in her arms. Looking around, she noticed that most of the Companions were present, though she was taken aback when her ears were greeted with the sounds of cheering at the other end. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that there was an arm wrestling match between Torvar and Athis. No doubt borne out of the debate of which of their fighting methods was the best.

Farkas, Vilkas and Njada were nearby, each placing bets as they encouraged the one they were supporting. The Dunmer and Nord's faces were red with exertion, neither one backing down from the match. That was a sign that the two of them had been at it for a while. Clearly it would continue on for some time, as the two of them were too stubborn for their own good.

Shaking her head, Ty'ani looked round some more, seeing Aela at the dining table. She was just eating some breakfast but it was clear she was also keeping an eye on the match. She also spotted Lydia seated on a bench by the entrance, dressed in a dark uniform with a leather doublet over top which bore Whiterun's colours and sigil. It appeared that even her dutiful Housecarl was looking to relax today, but still she looked ready for a fight since she still had her sword at her hip.

Walking over to the brunette, Lydia glanced over to her as she greeted the Nord. "Morning Lydia."

"Good morning Thane." she replied back tersely as she rose from her seat, giving her an amused look when Ar'jenn squirmed from the disturbances around them and attempted to lick Ty'ani's chin. Jerking her head away from the pup, Ty'ani spoke again.

"Is something wrong? Usually you just wait for me at the Inn."

Lydia shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong." she pursed her lips then, squinting one eye partially closed as she folded her hands behind her back. "Well, in a sense anyway. The Jarl had spoken to me before I came here, and he tells me that he wishes for you to be present at Dragonsreach for a Solstice feast tonight."

Lydia clearly saw the surprise in Ty'ani's features, watching her bite her lip as she processed what was just told to her. "Dinner?" she said at last. "At the Jarl's palace? Surrounded by nobles?"

"Yes, specifically nobles journeying from other cities. Whiterun is to be the host of Winter Solstice this year, as is tradition." Lydia confirmed with a nod. "All though, the Grey-Manes will be absent for obvious reasons, as the Battle-Borns will be present. Is something wrong with this request?"

Ty'ani worried her lip between her teeth again, nervously brushing her hair behind her shoulders as her ears drooped. "Well, I don't exactly have much experience mingling with nobles, except... well."

Knowing full well what the Khajiit was referring to, Lydia's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't elaborate on it. "Understandable." she said at last, but soon relaxed again. "But you are Thane of Whiterun, and as Thane it would not look good on you if you refuse your own Jarl's invitation, would it?"

"Well no, I suppose not." Ty'ani murmured, sighing. "It's not just that though; the other nobles will know about me being Dragonborn. I'm not ready to reveal that yet."

Lydia shook her head. "It must happen sooner or later, Ty'ani. You are considered a very important person at this feast, so therefore the nobles will need to know of your status."

Ty'ani's head lowered at that, groaning. This was so spontanious and she wasn't ready for it, since the nobles would return to their cities with the knowledge of her Dragonborn status and spread the news to the masses. The thought was truly terrifying. She was tempted not to go, but Lydia was right, she is the Thane of Whiterun and it would be plain rude to ignore her own Jarl's summons. "Very well," she relented at last. "When do we depart?"

"The gathering will be at sun down." the Housecarl replied. "That will give you more than enough time to make yourself look presentable."

Ty'ani wasn't so sure about that. Sighing yet again, she adjusted her cloak further around her shoulders before exiting the meadhall, Lydia right behind her. "Yeah, sure." she whispered lowly before raising her voice so the Nord could hear her. "Let's just get to the Mare."

"Right behind you."

The two walked down from Jorrvaskr and into the bustling and snowy streets of Whiterun. They dodged between citizens and visitors, spying many of them decorating houses and stands with lanterns and such for the festival tonight. As they made their way to the Plains District, the marketplace was revealed to be extremely busy as the number of shop vendors had increased. Added with the usual stands that Whiterun was famous for was some stands for arms and armour, magical items, a multitude of alcoholic beverages and so on. The stands stretched all the way to the city gates, of which were opened which revealed more stands encircled around the inner courtyard, all in an effort to attract travellers. Slipping through the crowd, the two finally entered the Bannered Mare.

Inside was slightly quieter, with only a few patrons gathered around the fire, but the tavern workers were milling about making the place look a little more festive. It didn't take long for the two to find everyone else occupying a table at the back, each with a breakfast in front of them already.

As they approached, Haema was the first to spot them. "Ah, there you two are. We'd begun to think you got lost in the crowd."

"Sorry about that." Ty'ani apologised as she and Lydia took a seat. "Had to make sure Ar'jenn was fed."

"And how is the little nipper?" Altwen asked, leaning toward the Khajiit to get a look at the wolf pup.

"She's actually doing really well." she answered, allowing the wolf to rest her front paws on the table. "She's already got most of her strength back and begun to move around some more. I think she'll start walking on her own soon." as she said that, she had been tickling the wolf under her chin, which prompted the pup to start nibbling at her finger. As she was still quite young, her tiny milk teeth didn't hurt the Khajiit, but Ty'ani had to jerk her finger away every so often when the pup got too overzealous.

"How old is she anyway?" Haema inquired.

Humming, Altwen crossed her arms as she gazed at the blonde Nord. "I'd say she's around five weeks old, so really she'd be able to walk around on her own anyway. But since her mother and littermates're dead, she didn't get what she needed to survive on her own." glancing back at Ty'ani, she continued. "You know what Kitten, now I think about it, a couple more days on milk and I'd say you can start weanin' her. Just be prepared to chase after her once she finds her feet."

"Don't worry." Ty'ani reassured, cupping Ar'jenn under her chest to pull her back to her lap when she started to try to mount the table. "I've got it under control."

It was at that point that the barmaid walked over, giving the two newcomers a small smile each. "Morning." she greeted. "What will you two be having?"

"Bread and cheese with some ale, thank you Saadia." Lydia responded.

"Same for me, but with water please." Ty'ani said, manoeuvring Ar'jenn back onto her lap again when she almost slipped off.

"Coming right up." and with that, the Redguard retreated to the kitchens.

While she was gone, Altwen took a swig from her tankard and placed it back down, leaning forward on the table. "So," she began, giving all of them a look. "What're the plans for tonight then ladies? It's Winter Solstice after all."

"We are aware of that." Alasse commented lowly after taking a sip from her mug.

Altwen leant back and rested one arm on the back of the chair, giving them a wide smile. "Well you know me, I'm goin' to go to the festival tonight and get absolutely shit-faced."

"That comes as no surprise." Lydia asserted, her green eyes rolling in indignation.

Letting out a snort, the half-elf prodded on. "Hey, that's just me. So come on, what're you lot doin' then?"

"Well," Haema began. "Since the Grey-Manes are not going to Dragonsreach tonight, my family and I are staying at their's for Winter Solstice, and we'll be having a feast just before the festival. The children will then be let loose to enjoy themselves for the evening."

At that point, Saadia returned with Lydia and Ty'ani's meals, placing the wooden plates and mugs down before the two and leaving once they exchanged coin. Once she left and the two dug in to the meal, Alasse crossed her arms as she spoke up. "I have no plans for Solstice tonight."

Altwen frowned at that. "So what you doin' instead? Stickin' your nose in a book or somethin'?"

Lips thinning at the comment, Alasse made no move to retaliate, only to answer civilly. "My notes are in need of organising and that will take me most of the day to complete. The further research I have obtained has doubled my work load, and I must be sure that it is complete."

The huntress groaned at that. "You and your research. Do you even know the meanin' of fun?" ignoring the Altmer's glare of discontent, Altwen then turned her attention onto Ty'ani. "So what about you, Kitten?"

Swallowing down a small lump of goat cheese while keeping it out of Ar'jenn's reach, Ty'ani bit her lip. "Well, the Jarl has invited me up to Dragonsreach for a feast tonight."

Haema, Alasse and Altwen all rose their brows at that, though the half-elf especially was interested. "Ooh, dinner with the Jarl huh? Fancy that."

"That make sense." Haema pointed out, glancing at Ty'ani. "As Thane, it is expected of you to speak with the nobility from time to time, so this event will allow you to learn of their etiquettes."

"That may be." the Khajiit replied, finishing her cheese and moving on to her bread. "But honestly, I'm the last person to mingle around with nobility."

"Then you will learn to keep your hands to yourself." Alasse commented with narrow eyes. In response, Ty'ani ducked her head down as her shoulders rose, attempting to hide her ashamed expression behind her pewter mug as she took a swig of water.

Altwen however frowned at the high-elf. "Hey, come on, give the girl some credit would ya? She may have sticky fingers, but that don't mean that she can't be trusted."

Ty'ani just shrugged. "I wouldn't think too hard on it anyway, I think I'll be too petrified to speak to anyone less I offend them. You know how some nobles can be."

"Be that as it may," Lydia replied. "You will be spoken to regardless. As you are Dragonborn, you can guarantee that the higher class will want to know of your experiences against dragons and such. All you must do is be polite and not speak unless spoken to, and you will be fine."

Altwen arched a brow at that. "Sounds to me that you've got a bit of experience under that belt of yours, Sunshine."

Lydia bristled slightly at the woman, having the feeling that she was implying more than she let on. Deciding not to allow the slattern to see that she was offended by that idea, she instead just cocked a brow as she responded. "I was a city guard and I often had to patrol in Dragonsreach itself. One learns to speak civilly with nobility when surrounded by them on an almost daily basis."

"Riiight." Altwen drawled mockingly, which caused the Nord to frown.

Rolling her icy eyes, Haema spoke up before things got ugly. "Altwen, enough." once the half-elf slumped back, looking far too pleased with herself, the blonde turned her attention back to the white Khajiit. "Listen Ty'ani, I wouldn't worry too much about it. As Lydia said, just be sure to stay polite but remain yourself as much as you can. The Jarl is the only one you must really concern yourself with, and he is a very patient man."

The Khajiit sighed at that. "All right." she responded as she popped the final bit of bread in her mouth.

"However," Haema continued, spying the little white wolf pawing at Ty'ani's bodice as she whimpered. "I'm afraid you will not be able to take your wolf with you. She will cause too much of a disturbance."

Brows furrowing, Ty'ani glanced down at Ar'jenn, letting the little dire wolf nibble at her fingers again as she swallowed down the last of her meal. "But I can't leave her alone, she's too young."

Altwen's full lips smiled at that, resting her head on a fist while leaning on the table. "Hey, no worries Kitten, I can take care of her while your minglin' with the nobles. Means I'll have to give up my plans for tonight but, eh, what can ya do?" in response, Ty'ani gave the half-elf a grateful smile. But Altwen then cocked a brow as she studied Ty'ani's clothing, humming in thought. "You know this is gonna be a fancy event, Kitten, so what you plannin' on wearin'?"

"Er..." Ty'ani merely responded. Now that she thought about it, she actually had no idea. The only clothes that she had was what she was wearing now plus another set, her night shirt and her armour, of which was out of the question since it was scuffed and not very fitting for a formal party. Well, she did have another set of armour, but she was definitely not wearing that to the party. Biting her lip, she continued bashfully. "I don't know. I don't really have anything nice to wear."

All of a sudden, in the span of half a second, Altwen's expression lit up with a huge grin. The half-elf jumped up out her seat and gripped the girl's shoulder. "In that case then Kitten, you and me are goin' shoppin'!" she exclaimed happily.

Blinking at the woman's sudden excitement, Ty'ani stuttered before responding. "Oh erm, no that's fine Altwen, you don't have to do that."

"You got no choice in that." the half-elf remarked before pulling the Khajiit girl to her feet. Ty'ani barely had time to grab hold of Ar'jenn to keep her from falling when Altwen did that, just registering that she had draped her cloak over her shoulders before she was suddenly being dragged out of the Inn.

"Altwen!" she yelled in surprise, seeing the confused, annoyed and amused looks on her companions faces before the door closed behind them. "Altwen, wait, stop!"

"No worries Kitten." Altwen said as she turned back to glance at her. "Once I'm through with ya, you'll be the envy of the crowd. Oh, we are going to have a whole load of fun!"

After that, Altwen continued to prattle on. Evidently, despite half-elf's boyish attitude and poor manners, she happened to be quite a girly girl when it came to shopping. Ty'ani continued to be dragged down the line of vendors and on the way, Altwen went on and on about fine clothing and dresses, as well as jewellery and shoes. And by Gods, she would not shut up about the shoes especially. It was quite baffling to the young Khajiit, as that topic was truthfully the last thing she would affiliate with Altwen of all people.

At last, after what felt like an endless stream of suggestions and ideas- all in a very girlish tone- the huntress stopped in front of a colourful aravel outside the city walls, the makeshift stall before it sporting neatly folded collections of finely tailored clothing. Two Dunmer women occupied the stall, the younger of the two fixing a beautiful silk dress with a needle and thread, her hands very steady despite the cold. The oldest smiled when the two approached, standing from her seat as she greeted them.

"Hello there travellers. Could I interest you in any of our wares?"

"Indeed you could." Altwen responded, pushing Ty'ani in front of her. "My friend here is in need of a dress, as she's been invited to the Jarl's palace for a party."

The woman's brows rose in surprise at that. "A Khajiit attending a noble party? Interesting." she mused, but soon waved it off. "Ah, but that is not my concern. Now let's see..." she studied Ty'ani with deep scrutiny, making the girl squirm uncomfortably. As the dark-elf circled her, Ty'ani's ears twitched as she muttered to herself. "Hmm, small, very skinny. Hardly a breast to speak of but quite good sized hips. Yes, I think we can work with you. Come with me dear." the woman said at last, disappearing into the aravel soon after. With a sigh, Ty'ani handed Ar'jenn carefully to Altwen before following the woman.

The inside was narrow but surprisingly spacious. The compartments in the walls were filled with an assortments of dresses and tunics and such, as well as some Dunmer inspired decorations hanging from the ceiling. The old dark-elf woman was rummaging around in a compartment of Nordic inspired gowns, though it didn't take her long to pull one out. Seeing it, Ty'ani grimaced. This was going to take a while.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ty'ani had been inside the aravel for the better half of an hour trying on dresses. Most of the ones that she tried she didn't like. Well honestly, she didn't feel very comfortable wearing dresses at all, since she hadn't worn a dress since she ran away from the orphanage as a child. All her life she contended with makeshift clothes or whatever she could steal. Anything that would allow her to move freely without restricting her movements. This was an entirely new experience for her as not one made her feel comfortable. The vast majority of the ones the Dunmer had pulled out either didn't entirely match with her natural colouration- which is what the old woman herself pointed out- or felt too itchy for her or was far too vibrant for her liking.

After a while, Altwen suddenly entered the aravel. Seeing the Khajiit sitting at the far end in only her small clothes, with the Dunmer woman rummaging through the dresses, the half-elf cocked a brow. "You're takin' a long time Kitten." she pointed out.

"I know." Ty'ani sighed. "But I've tried on a lot of these dresses and none of them are appealing to me at all. I just don't feel comfortable."

Humming, Altwen stepped further in, still cradling Ar'jenn to her chest as she sat beside the Khajiit. "Y'know Kitten, I think your problem is that you don't feel very safe, do ya?"

Ty'ani just shrugged, gazing down at the floor dejectedly. "I suppose."

"In which case," Altwen continued, glancing at the Dunmer whom glanced back. "Maybe you need something that will give the illusion of protection?"

In response to that, the dark elf placed a hand on her chin in thought. Soon after though, her eyes lit up with an idea. "I think I may have just the thing."

With that, she moved down the line and pushed aside the brightly coloured gowns, beginning to dig further in the alcove. Soon enough, she carefully pulled out another dress and unfolded it.

The dress was admittedly very appealing to look at. It was simple in it's design, the skirt flowing and the sleeves long. It was made from some sort of velvet with a white linen under skirt peaking below the trim of the dress. The velvet was a deep blue colour with black trimming along the bottom of the skirt and along the neckline, both of which had silver and gold Nordic inspired embroidery all along it. It also had a thin black leather bodice, which was clearly not made for battle, with multiple buckles which would easily adjust to the woman wearing it, allowing it to clinch to her waist snugly. It too had silver and gold embroidery stitched into it, giving it a very delicate and tasteful look.

Seeing her expression, the Dunmer woman smiled, beckoning her over. "Come now dear, try it on."

Biting her lip, Ty'ani stood and walked over. The Dunmer took the bodice away, loosening the laces on the back of the dress so it would be easier for Ty'ani to slip in. Bunching the bottom of the dress, the Dunmer helped to put it over Ty'ani's head, the girl raising her arms as she searched for the sleeves. Once on, Ty'ani flattened and adjusted it as the woman tightened the laces. She then took the bodice and slipped that over Ty'ani's head. Pulling on the buckles, the leather tightened around her body, but not so tight that she couldn't move freely.

Once done, the Dunmer stepped back, allowing Ty'ani to turn to the mirror at the back of the aravel. The Khajiit bit her lip as she appraised herself, picking at the skirt and spreading it out. It was a little too long for her liking since it noticeably touched the ground, and her tail was constricted under the skirt but it was very comfortable none the less. The velvet was very soft and the linen lining was silky to the touch as well. She also liked that the muted colours of the trimming mixed well with the dark blue, finding that it also went really well with the colour of her eyes.

Seeing her smile, Altwen beamed at her. "So, we found the one?"

Looking at the woman, Ty'ani nodded. "Yes, I suppose. I mean, I'm never going to get used to wearing dresses, but this one feels comfortable at least." though she looked around as she flicked her tail, grunting in annoyance when the material restricted the fifth limbs movement. Looking at the Dunmer, she inquired meekly. "I don't suppose you could make space for my tail, could you?"

The woman bit her lip, shaking her head. "Not on such short notice I'm afraid. It's not a simple job of cutting a hole out for you, as this is a formal dress. It would take me quite a while to ensure that it doesn't flay and I won't be able to do that before you need it."

Ty'ani sighed at that, frowning. Seeing her exasperation, Altwen just shrugged. "Hey, come on. So your tail's restricted, it's only gonna be for one night."

"I suppose." Ty'ani sighed. Before long, she shrugged. "All right, so how much?"

"Five-hundred Septims." the Dunmer responded.

Seeing Ty'ani's panicked expression, since she didn't have enough in her coin purse, Altwen smiled as she brandished her own from a belt pouch. "Don't worry Kitten, I'll pay." she reassured as she handed the purse to the woman. In turn, Ty'ani frowned at the huntress in confusion.

"Wherever did you get that much coin?" she questioned as the Dunmer helped her out of the dress.

Altwen smiled. "You'd be surprised how much money people pay for game these days."

It didn't take long for Ty'ani to change back into her old clothes after that. The two left the aravel with the dress folded over the Khajiit's arm and Ar'jenn cradled in the other, following close behind the half-elf lest she become lost in the crowd around them. Heading back into the city, Ty'ani was soon dragged by the half-elf again toward another stand. Seeing that it was filled with shoes, Ty'ani groaned. "Gods Altwen, I don't need new shoes as well, my boots will do just fine."

"Oh I don't think so, Kitten." the huntress protested. "A dress like that needs a good pair of pretty shoes to go with it."

Ignoring the Khajiit's groans, Altwen appraised the shoes with keen interest. The Breton man behind the counter smiled at the woman's eagerness, waiting patiently for her to make a choice. Before long, Altwen picked up a pair of pretty doe-skin shoes, of which were stitched in a certain way that made the natural leather look like it had scales. They looked as though they were made for a child but they seemed to be very supple, which would make it easier for them to mould to Ty'ani's tiny feet, and the lacing up the sides would keep them in place. It wasn't like Ty'ani would be doing much walking tonight anyway.

Turning to the Khajiit, Altwen presented the shoes to her, almost laughing out loud at the girl's irritated look. "I really hate you right now, you know that?"

"Oh shush up and try on the shoes, would you."

Huffing, Ty'ani handed her the dress and the dire wolf pup and took the shoes. The Breton gestured to the chair next to the stand, which she sat in. Removing her knee high boots, Ty'ani swiftly pulled on the doe-skin shoes, deciding to get this over with. One they were on and laced up her lower legs, she stood up with a frown.

"Well?" Altwen prodded.

Tapping the ground below her, Ty'ani's frown deepened as she looked up at the half-elf. "I can't feel the ground properly." she complained.

Rolling her forest eyes, Altwen placed her hands on her hips. "Oh stop your moanin', it's only for one night." watching the Khajiit sigh and sit back in the chair to take off the shoes, Altwen turned to the Breton man. "We'll take those ones." she told him, leaving no room for Ty'ani to argue as she handed over a coin purse.

Turning back to Ty'ani, she waited for the girl to fasten her boots back up and to pick up her new shoes. Soon enough the two moved away, the Khajiit forcing the half-elf to carry the new clothes and shoes while she carried Ar'jenn. Stepping back toward the main square of the Plains District, Altwen soon spoke up again. "Maybe we should get you some new jewellery as well."

Scowling, Ty'ani turned on the woman. "No." she told her with a tone of finality. "No more, what I have will do."

"Oh?" Altwen replied, a wide smile emerging on her face. "You sayin' you got some other jewellery then? Cus that one your wearin' don't go that well with the dress."

"It's fine." Ty'ani protested, gripping the Amulet of Articulation in a fist as if to protect it from the woman's scrutany.

Pausing in her step, causing the Khajiit to do the same, Altwen shook her head at the girl, her voice lowering to a whisper. "Really, Kitten? This is a formal event, and while the pendent your wearin' is pretty, I'm sure the nobles don't need to know that you're part of the Thieves Guild."

Ty'ani blinked at that, surprised that the huntress knew that. She quickly glanced around, trying to see if anyone had heard them but thankfully no one had. Looking back at Altwen, Ty'ani inquired. "How do you know that?"

The half-elf rolled her eyes, pointing at the pendent as she explained. "Diamond shaped symbols with a circle in the centre, it's a mark that's been used in the Thieves Guild for centuries. My mate's sister was in the Guild in Cyrodill, remember?"

"Right." Ty'ani responded, lowering her head bashfully. She should have known that Altwen would figure it out after she had told her that. "Fine, in that case then, I do have one other piece of jewellery."

Altwen smile returned at that. "Good, then let's go have a look." at that, they headed back toward the Wind District and Jorrvaskr.

The two walked through the meadhall and to the stairwell that lead to the living quarters, then to where Ty'ani left her equipment. As Ty'ani put Ar'jenn on the bed and grabbed her backpack, Alwen placed the dress and shoes on the bed before sitting beside them, watching the Khajiit rummage through her pack. Seeing the girl fiddling with a button for a small inner pocket, she smiled, utterly intrigued. "Ooh, this got a special place in your pack, huh?"

Glancing up briefly, Ty'ani shrugged as the button came loose. "It's just so I don't lose it." she told the woman as she reached into the pocket and pulled out a gold pendent. The Khajiit passed it to the half-elf as she spoke again. "There, you think that will do?"

Altwen didn't reply at first and looking at her, Ty'ani found that her expression was one of surprise as she appraised the jewellery. It was subtle, but it was there.

On her part, Altwen's mind was going a mile a minute. The pendent she held was very familiar to her. It was made from gold and, after a second of appraising it, was actually revealed a locket, which was round and flat-ish with a tightly sealed clasp. The centre was inlaid with silver with etchings of two cresent moons on it, and a small white diamond in the centre. It was very valuable, that much was obvious, but she also knew that it was very old. Blinking, she looked over at Ty'ani, an inquiring expression on her face. "Where on Nirn did you get this?" she asked at last.

Frowning in confusion at the woman's tone, Ty'ani answered. "Erm... well to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I was told that I was found with it around my neck as a cub, so I've had it my whole life as far as I know."

Altwen's brows furrowed at that, many conclusions and explanations running through her mind. "This is very old, Kitten, I've never seen one like it in a long time. Could it be possible that it's a family heirloom?"

Ty'ani shrugged. "I suppose. I mean, it's possible my parents gave it to me before they disappeared... or died." the girl's expression fell then, her head lowering as she folded her hands on her lap. "To be honest, I don't really know what happened to them, all I know was that I lived in an orphanage for four years before I ran away to live on the streets. That locket is the only thing that could link me to my past, but I could never open it. I've tried so many times, and I even paid a wizard at the mages guild in Cyrodiil to open it with no success. Eventually I just gave up but I didn't have the heart to sell it, so I just kept it."

"Huh." Altwen merely replied, looking back at the locket as she went silent. She debated with herself to tell Ty'ani about what she knew, deciding in the end to reveal a little. The full truth would come to her when she was ready for it, as there was too much riding on the girl for her to handle it right now. "You know what Kitten, I think I might actually know where this locket came from. It may have belonged to my mate's sister."

Glancing up, Ty'ani stared at Altwen with a curious look. "Really?" she asked.

"Really." the huntress confirmed with a nod, returning her gaze back to Ty'ani. "She had connections in the Khajiiti trade and requested one like this to be made for her. Dunno why, she just did. Also, as far as I know it had some enchantments put on it that only activated when both moons were full. Not sure what it does though. Last I heard, she passed it down to her children before she died."

Ty'ani wasn't sure what to think of what was just revealed to her, her mind racing. If Altwen's mate's sister did in fact have this very locket, then maybe Altwen was right before when she first met her; maybe she is related to this person. Glancing up at the woman, Ty'ani spoke at last. "What was her name?"

Looking the Khajiit in her sapphire orbs, Altwen let loose a smile. "Her name was Ainrji." she answered. "And I know what your thinkin' and yes, I do think that she may very well be your ancestor, cus she looked just like you. Y'know, that could also mean that you and I could be related, albeit in a very round about way."

That made Ty'ani huff. To think that she's related to a half-elf, not by blood but by marriage. Stranger things have happened she supposed. "That's something that would confuse many people." she pointed out with amusement. Altwen laughed in response. Ty'ani laughed with her as she brushed her hair behind her shoulders, turning around when she felt Ar'jenn paw at and try to bite her flicking tail. The wolf pup was obviously trying to play with it, and that made her smile widen. Looking back at Altwen, she continued once she stopped laughing. "Well ayway, do you think the locket will be okay for tonight?"

Handing the jewellery back to the Khajiit, Altwen nodded. "Aye, that I do. And I think you should wear it more often as well, I bet it looks lovely on you." at Ty'ani's nod, Altwen got up form the bed. "Well, I'm gonna head back to the Mare, you comin'?"

"I will soon." Ty'ani answered as she slipped the locket back into the pocket of her pack. "I have to feed Ar'jenn first and I'll be right there."

"All right." Altwen added, beginning to exit the living quarters. "When you turn up, how's about I continue teachin' you how to play Harzard before the party tonight."

Ty'ani smiled in return. "As long as you don't cheat again."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

With dusk approaching, Ty'ani left the Bannered Mare to get ready for the feast, Altwen insisting on going with her. As of now, the Khajiit had slipped into her new dress, Altwen helping her with the latches on her bodice. The half-elf turned away with the intent of grabbing Ty'ani's hair brush but when she turned back, she caught the girl attempting to pull on her boots, to which the woman frowned.

"Oh no you don't." she scolded, moving over to pull away the Khajiit's boots. "You're wearing the shoes I bought you."

Ty'ani groaned when the half-elf presented the doe-skin shoes to her. "But I don't like them." she whined.

"Oh come on, it's just for one night and you won't wear 'em again."

Groaning again with a roll of her eyes, Ty'ani snatched up the shoes and pulled them on. Once on, she gasped when the twine that held her hair in its half pony-tail was pulled out, snapping her head up to glare at Altwen. "What are you doing?"

The huntress brandished the comb that she took from Ty'ani's pack along with a couple of silk hair ties. "I'm gonna do your hair for you. You don't wanna show up at a formal event with plain hair now, do you?"

"Altwen." Ty'ani moaned.

"Come on Kitten." the half-elf pressed. Ty'ani sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to win this fight, so she relented. Perching herself on the edge of the bed, Ty'ani sat up straight as Altwen got situated behind her. Soon enough, the huntress began to brush through her hair, which tugged every now and then since her hair had become slightly tangled throughout the day.

It didn't take long for the comb to flow through the Khajiit's ebony locks smoothly, and that was when Altwen got to work. She bunched up a small amount of hair on the right side, running her fingers through it to ensure that it would stay neat. As she began to braid the strands, gathering up more hair as she went, she spoke up. "Wow Kitten, I had no idea your hair was so soft and silky. And so thick as well! How do you do that?"

Ty'ani shrugged her shoulders, being mindful not to move her head too much. "I don't know, must be all the milk I drank when I was younger."

"Oh come on," Altwen pressed, now beginning to fully braid the hair without gathering more. "There must be a secret to it, and you have to tell me."

"I'm being honest, I really don't know. It just happens."

Altwen huffed at that. "Well," she said as she slowly reached the bottom of the braid. "I have to say I'm very jealous. I can never get my hair to stay soft, it's always so dry, and I've had three-hundred years to figure it out. Hold that for me, would you?"

In response, Ty'ani only shrugged as she grabbed the braid on the side of her hair as Altwen moved on to the other side, falling into silence as the woman worked. By the time she finished, Ty'ani's hair had two large braids running halfway across the crown of her head both of which were tied together in a single silk tie Altwen didn't stop there however, as she began to work on creating smaller braids all along Ty'ani's loose hair, allowing them to fall down her shoulders and back.

Now that the half-elf was finally done, Ty'ani ran her hands along her hair, feeling all the different braids. It was simple and tasteful, which Ty'ani was thankful for, since she was sort of expecting Altwen to go crazy and do something more complicated than that.

Just as Ty'ani was about to stand, Altwen held her down by her shoulder. "Hold on a moment, Kitten." she told her as she went rummaging through the Khajiit's pack. Soon enough, she pulled out the golden locket, undoing the latch. "Take off your amulet."

Sighing, Ty'ani reach around her neck to take off the Theives Guild amulet, holding it in one hand as Altwen looped the locket over her head. As she pulled the clasps behind the girl's neck, Ty'ani lifted her hair out the way, allowing the half-elf to fix it into place. When she was done, allowing the locket to sit at her bosom, Ty'ani frowned slightly at the jewellery's weight. It was slightly heavier than her amulet, but not so much that it was a bother.

Now that she was ready, Altwen picked off some loose hairs from the back of Ty'ani's dress as the girl placed the amulet in her pack, brushing down the skirt once she was on her feet. The Khajiit turned when she heard Ar'jenn whimper, seeing the little dire wolf attempting to rise to her feet and move around on the bed. Heading over to her pack, she pulled out an old mead bottle she had filled with the special milk for the pup and the glove she uses to feed her, handing them to Altwen. "Here, this should be enough for her tonight." she said as the half-elf took the bottle. "Just pour it into the glove-"

"Yeah, I know Kitten." Altwen reassured. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her for ya. And by the way, that locket looks so pretty on you."

Ty'ani smiled at the woman, just as she heard footsteps coming toward the sleeping quarters. Looking to the entrance, Lydia rounded the corner, dressed in the leather doublet she had been wearing all day, only it looked slightly more presentable with the buckles gleaming and the leather clean. Even her sword sheath and pommel had been polished to a shine. Her hair was also neater, pulled back into a low pony-tail.

The Housecarl folded her hands behind her back, straightening her spine as she regarded the Khajiit. The look in her eyes suggested that she liked the way Ty'ani looked, so that may earn her some points up at the palace. "Are you ready, my Thane?" she asked.

"Almost." she replied, reaching down for her leg strap. Bunching up the skirt, she buckled it around her left thigh before sheathing her dagger. Looking up at Lydia, the woman nodded in approval as she dropped and smoothed down the skirt. "Now I am." the girl told her as she looked to Altwen. "Thank you again for looking after Ar'jenn, Altwen."

The huntress smiled at her. "Hey, no worries Kitten." she replied as she stood up, picking up the dire wolf pup as she did so and cradled her to her chest. "Come on, you best get goin' before your late."

Nodding as she collected her cloak, the three exited the living quarters together, making their way through the mead hall and out of Jorrvaskr. Once outside, the sky illuminated with the soft colours of the sunset, they stepped down into the Wind District before stopping before the Gildergreen, which leaves had completely shead for the winter and was coated with thick snow. Though despite it's bare branches, the tree still seemed very lively, which was in stark contrast of what it was like the first time Ty'ani had ever visited Whiterun.

Altwen glanced over at Ty'ani and Lydia with a smile, hugging her own cloak closer to herself to protect the wolf pup from the chill. "Well, you two have fun up there. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." at that, she turned on her heel and retreated down to the Plains District.

Watching the huntress go, Ty'ani exhaled nervously. Turning to Lydia, she bit her lip as they began the walk to the foot of the stairs leading to the Cloud District. "So," she began slowly. "You ever done anything like this before? Eating with the Jarl?"

"No." Lydia teresly replied.

Silence fell between the two of them after that, mainly because Ty'ani was so nervous about this event that she had no clue on what to say. She bunched up her skirt as they began to climb the stairs toward Dragonsreach's entrance, seeing the golden glow of candlelight through the palace windows. She also witnessed a few people nearer the top of the stairs, all of which were dressed in formal clothing. Clearly the nobles from the other major cities.

Soon enough, Ty'ani and Lydia reached the top, seeing the archway leading to the main doors were flanked by guards, each of which held a torch in preperation of the looming twilight. Upon approaching the large oaken doors, the guards there opened it for the two, allowing them passage. As they went through though, Ty'ani couldn't help but feel as if the sentinal guards had been judging her with each step she took. No doubt borne from their hatred of her kind, but since she had been named Thane they obviously didn't say anything.

In the entrance hall, Ty'ani and Lydia were immediately beset by the sight of a number of people within. It was clear which were the noble folk and which were servants, since the higher class were all clad in fine clothes. As they stepped further in, a young servant stepped over to them. "Thane of Whiterun," she began with a small kirtsey. "May I take your cloak?"

Unsure of what exactly she should reply with, Ty'ani bit her lip and unclapsed her cloak. "Erm, sure." she merely said as she handed it over, as did Lydia. As the servant scuttled away, Ty'ani took the time to glance around. Further up the stairs, she had noticed that the throne room looked much the same as it usually does, except that the area where the throne itself resides now had a long table before it. All of the dining tables only contained empty silver platters, plates, candle sticks with lit candles and goblets with large pitchers. All of the silverware around her alighted Ty'ani's theif instincts but she fought it down. The last thing she needed was to make a bad impression of herself and end up embarrassing the Jarl in front of all these nobles.

Climbing up the stairs, Ty'ani couldn't help but scent the air, finding a whole cocophany of smells. Venison. Fish. Fowl. Maybe boar. She wasn't quite sure what it all was, but it smelled absolutely divine.

Nervousness alighted through her again as many of the nobles around them stared at her, most with discontent in their eyes. As if sensing her anxiety, Lydia spoke to her in low tones. "Stay relaxed my Thane, keep your head high."

"All right." she whispered back, straightening her back some more and raising her head slightly. Her tail flicked from under the skirt to showcase her unease, but the material of the dress got in the way, restricting the tail's movements. This made Ty'ani grumble as she looked around some more. The throne room was filled with people she both recognised as nobles from this city and many others she didn't recognise, but there was no sight of the Jarl. His steward was stood dutifully at the foot of the throne, but Jarl Balgruuf was completely absent.

As she was about to turn and inquire to Lydia about that, that was when she was suddenly approached by a nobleman. "So, your the new Thane and Dragonborn, are you?" asked the elder man hauntily, looking down on her with a pair of sharp blue eyes. Studying this man, Ty'ani recognised him from one of the wealthy clans here in Whiterun. The Battle-Born clan clearly, since both Lydia and Haema told her that the Grey-Manes would be absent.

Clearing her throat, she tersely replied. "I am ser."

The man crossed his arms. "Hmph, not sure what he was thinking to bestow that title upon a Khajiit of all things, but I'm not one to question my Jarl's judgement." he lowered his arms then, folding them behind his back. "So girl, tell me; you know who I am?"

Put on the spot, Ty'ani fought against wringing her hands together as she answered. "You are of clan Battle-Born?" she asked uneasily.

"Aye, that I am." he nodded. "Olfrid, patron of clan Battle-Born and second Thane of Whiterun. A name you should know well as the lastest Thane of our city."

Second Thane? Ty'ani wasn't even aware that there were more Thanes in this city, as she had never come across any before. At the same time though, Ty'ani figured that of course Whiterun would have its own Thanes before she came along. But if this man before her was the second Thane, then that begged the question on who the first was, or if there were any more.

It was at that point that Lydia leaned toward Ty'ani, snapping the Khajiit out of her thoughts as the Housecarl spoke lowly to her. "My Thane, the Battle-Born clan is one of the oldest and riches clans in Whiterun. Their wealth is gained from owning Battle-Born farm."

Olfrid nodded his head once at the Housecarl's words. "That's right." he said as he locked gazes with Ty'ani once more. "Our lineage is an old and proud one, but unlike the Grey-Manes, our wealth stems from the hard labour of our farmers."

"I have heard your family and the Grey-Manes don't get along." Ty'ani exclaimed, deciding to ask Lydia about the other Thanes later.

Olfrid frowned at that. "Ah, my family will tell you that our friendship ended when the Grey-Manes pledged their alligence to the Stormcloaks, but I believe it had been strained for some time." he explained. "The Grey-Manes are jealous, you see. Jealous of our largely successful farm and our wealth. And Eorlund Grey-Mane is a stubborn old fool atop all that. Once he turned his back on the Empire, that loosened that last cog in the works, made my family realise what fools they truly are."

Ty'ani nodded outwardly, but in her mind she couldn't help but think how petty this man and his family must be. In fact in her opinon, the feud the two clans had with one another was a stupid one. As stupid as the civil war. She wasn't about to say that though, as she wanted to be polite to the noble men and women here and not insult them, so she kept her silence.

In the next second though, Olfrid spoke again. "In any case, I must move on. I wish to speak with Erikur before the feast begins."

Ty'ani bowed her head to him. "Of course ser, have a good evening."

Without a word, the patriarch walked away, leaving Ty'ani and Lydia alone once again. The Khajiit let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding when he left, very visibly relaxing. The brunette Nord patted her on the shoulder. "You did well." she told her.

"That was nerve-wracking." Ty'ani replied through clenched teeth, gazing around at the nobles around them. "I don't know if I can do this Lydia."

"You'll be fine." Lydia reassured her.

Ty'ani shrugged in response, not believing the woman's words at all. Letting out another sigh, Ty'ani glanced back at Lydia. "He said that he was the second Thane." she pointed out. "I didn't realise there were more Thanes in Whiterun."

"But of course." Lydia responded, her tone suggesting that this fact was the most obvious thing on Nirn. "There are currently four Thanes of Whiterun. The first Thane is Vignar Gray-Mane, the second of course is Olfrid Battle-Born. The third Thane is Haema and now you, being the latest."

That immediately caught Ty'ani's attention as her head snapped round to stare at Lydia in surprise. "Haema? Haema is the third Thane of Whiterun?"

Lydia nodded. "Of course she is. Haema is the Harbinger of the Companions, just as Kodlak Whitemane was before her, and he too was Thane of Whiterun. She was named Thane after his untimely death and her initiation."

This bit of news shocked the Khajiit greatly. She never had any idea that Haema was a Thane, and it just begged the question: why did the woman keep this from her?

She didn't have long to ponder on it though, as it was then at that point that Ty'ani spotted movement coming from the stairwell leading to the second floor. From it came four people, two of whom she instantly recognised as Irileth and Jarl Balgruuf. The Jarl was garbed in robes of crimson and black silks, of which was far more expensive than anything Ty'ani could buy. Steal yes, but not legitimately pay for. The Dunmer Housecarl was dressed in thick boiled leather armour, Whiterun's colours and sigil present upon it. The third person was a stone-face man armoured in a similar the fashion of the guards, with a golden cloak flowing down his shoulders fastened with silver clasps. Ty'ani remembered seeing this man before, when she did the job for Maven Black-Briar down at the late Honningbrew Meadery. He is the Commander of the city guard, though for the life of her she couldn't remember his name. The last person was a soldier, garbed in the armour of an Imperial Officer.

Ty'ani felt a stone drop in her stomach at this. What was the Legion doing here?

She strained her ears over the noise to catch the conversation between them. "Jarl Balgruuf," the legionnare said, his voice straining as if he was holding in his frustration. "I implore you to reconsider your decision. Whiterun is an important stronghold for either army and General Tullius believes your city to be better off in the hands of the Empire than the Stormcloaks."

"And I must once again decline." Balgruuf said, his tone suggesting he was losing his patience. "I have already told you I have no wish to be a part of this war. While I appreciate your General's wish to preserve the safety of my people and city, Whiterun will remain neutral. I will not be held responsible for the death of my people."

"If you do not accept our offer, you know that Ulfric will take your city by force." the legionnare insisted. "No matter how you look at it, your people shall end up suffering regardless of your decision."

It was at that point that Irileth stepped forward, a frown on her face. "That is enough." she demanded. "The Jarl has made his decision Lieutenant, I suggest you accept that and leave at once."

The soldier frowned but nodded none the less, pressing a fist to his breast. "Very well. But I urge you to reconsider Jarl Balgruuf, for your people's sake." at that, the legionnare turned on his heel and marched away.

As Ty'ani watched, the Jarl began massaging his forehead in obvious irritation, speaking in low tones to Irileth and the guard Commander. This sounded very worrying. If the Legion were pushing to take Whiterun, that meant that the war would begin to turn ugly very soon and then nowhere will be safe from its effects. Can't the Imperials and Stormcloaks see that Skyrim will be damaged enough by the dragons returning. Granted the beasts haven't attacked the land in force just yet, but she knew that it will happen sooner or later, and then no one will be safe.

She tuned to Lydia when she began to speak. "It seems the Legion are pushing for Balgruuf's support in the war."

Ty'ani nodded. "Yes, they are. But what I don't understand is why Balgruuf isn't accepting their help. Surely he knows that with the Legion's support, his city would be much safer."

"That may be true," Lydia replied. "But Whiterun has always been a neutral point of the province, and the Jarl cares for the well being of his people above all else and wishes not to drag them into this war."

Ty'ani bit her lip at that. She was about to comment further, but that was when the Jarl stepped further into the throne room, seeing that he had his eyes upon her. Taking a deep breath, she inclined her head to Lydia to follow and made her way to the foot of the throne. As the two stood before him, the Jarl smiled genuinely as they bowed their heads in respect and placed their fist on their breasts in a Nordic salute.

"We greet you, Jarl Balgruuf." Ty'ani incited, just as Lydia had been teaching her to do all day.

Balgruuf nodded his head. "You may be seated. Thane Ty'ani, you may sit at my right hand as my guest of honour."

The Khajiit obeyed immediately, pacing around the table. As she found her seat at the right of the throne, her ear twitched when she heard Lydia greet the guard Commander. "Commander Ciaus." she simply said.

"Leiutenant, or should I say Housecarl." he greeted back. "I once again congratulate you on your promotion. I hope you have been well."

"I have sir." she replied. Ty'ani mentally kicked herself for forgetting the man's name as Lydia soon seated at her right. As a thief, she made it a habit to remember the names of anyone in authority so it would be easier for her to avoid them. Or ruin their reputation. That she forgot this man's name suggested that she was slipping up, so she scolded herself for that.

Soon enough, due to the presence of the Jarl, the noise within the throne room began to quieten and the nobles moved to take their seats. Within moments, the tables were filled. Irileth sat to her Jarl's left, with Proventus to her left. Hrongar, Balgruuf's brother seated himself on Lydia's right with Commander Caius on his right. Olfrid Battle-Born, as the only other Thane of Whiterun currently present, took the last seat beside the guard Commander. Finally, the Jarl's three children took the remaining seats at the other side.

Once everyone was seated, Jarl Balgruuf raised his goblet as servents began rushing around to fill them all with wine. "Friends and aquantences of our sister cities, allow me to formally welcome you to Whiterun for our Solstice feast." he began with a loud and confident voice. "Let us all rise a goblet in celebration of this occasion, and that we may still find joy in these times of strife."

The nobles let out a single cheer after his speech, each raising their goblets before taking a drink. On her part, Ty'ani scrambled to take her goblet, instantly recognising the scent of a fruity wine inside. She bit her lip before taking a single sip, feeling aprehensive of drinking too much and becoming drunk. As the too rich wine slid down her throat, she wondered if she could get away with only drinking little bits at a time, or not even touching it at all.

Once all within had a hearty drink of their wine, the Jarl spoke again. "I would also wish to take this time to introduce Whiterun's newest Thane and Skyrim's hero." he then gestured to Ty'ani, asking her with his actions for her to stand. Feeling a strong bout of stage fright, Ty'ani's chest went cold as she slowly stood, folding her hands together nervously in front of her. "Dragonborn Ty'ani, whom was revealed to us at Whiterun's most vulnerable time. She single-handedly slew the first dragon seen in Skyrim since the first age, and we have her to thank for perserving the safety of this land from the dangers of the dragons."

Well, that was a misnomer, since all Ty'ani did was distract the first dragon while Haema dealt the final blow, but the Khajiit kept those thoughts to herself in respect to her Jarl. Instead, she bowed her head to the masses. "My lords and ladies." she simply said.

As she looked around, she could see many of the nobles had either disbelief, surprise or discontent in their expressions, as if they didn't believe that she was truly Dragonborn. To be fair though, Ty'ani could still hardly believe it herself, and it had been a few months for her.

Just before things had become more awkward, that was when Commander Caius rose from his seat. "I would also wish to thank the Dragonborn for her efforts. Many good, honest guardsmen have fallen due to the attacks of those flying lizards and her bravery in the face of danger is truly a force to be reckoned with." it was then that he glanced her way, his dark eyes boring into hers. "I hope that you shall share your knowledge of these beasts with us tonight, so that we may better defend ourselves against them."

"I will be happy to tell you what I know, Commander, but I am afrid it is not much." she replied truthfully.

"But any knowledge you have would be valuable to us regardless." the Jarl commented.

It was at that point that a line of servents emerged from the doorway leading to the kitchens, each baring platters, bowls and plates filled with different assortments of foods. At that point, the Jarl took his seat with a smile, Ty'ani and the Commander quickly following suit. "Ah good, the feast has arrived. My lords and ladies, my cooks have prepared the finest dishes for tonight." he exclaimed as the servents placed down the meals on all three of the tables. When the scent hit her nose, Ty'ani's stomach growled hungrily, eyeing up the fine looking dishes before her. Even Lydia, with her usually stoney expression, looked upon the feast with an equally hungry look.

Once the servants began to carve the meats, the Jarl rose his goblet. "Now we eat. To Skyrim!"

"To Skyrim!" the nobles, with Ty'ani and Lydia in tow, repeated enthusiastically before they all dug into the meal.

It took some amount of willpower on Ty'ani's part to keep herself from snatching up the nearest piece of food and stuffing it into her mouth. She had never seen or smelt anything so delicious in her life, having got by on plain or makeshift meals in the past and the most spices she ever had was only a pinch of salt. For a moment she felt jealousy toward the nobility for having such rich meals, however when she slipped a piece of boar meat into her mouth, her taste buds came alive with a whole slew of flavour and textures. Chewing it slowly, she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the new sensation, not even sure if she liked the dozens of flavours hitting her tongue all at once.

Swallowing the morsel, she glanced over at Lydia, whom was taking her time with her meal as well, occationally reaching over the table to grab some more while talking with Hrongar. It appeared that the two of them knew each other pretty well, since their speech was not as formal she first imagined it would be. That aside, it was clear that Lydia knew how to handle herself at a dinner table, but the Khajiit could see that she too was fighting against grabbing and tearing into the food as well.

Looking around, she saw the other nobles digging in with either patience or enthusiasum. It was quite varied really. Either way, Ty'ani didn't want to embarrass her Jarl- or eat the meals too fast since she wan't even sure she could manage the hearty flavours- so she took her time with her food.

Soon enough though, the Jarl turned his attention to her. "Ty'ani, I have not had the proper opportunity to speak with you about your experiences with dragons." he began. "Tell me about them, and how many you have currently encountered."

Ty'ani quickly cleared her mouth, seeing the others at the table, as well as a few nearby nobles from the other tables, bring their attention to her. "I'm afraid I do not have a lot to tell you m'lord." she admitted. "I've only encounter three dragons and killed two, and I'm still learning myself on the best methods of killing them."

"I see." Balgruuf responded with a nod. "Either way, due to the fact you have killed two suggests you have some knowledge of their weaknesses."

Ty'ani bit her lip at that, her mind racing back to her last dragon encounter. "Well, one thing I have most definitely noticed is that their hide is too thick for most weapons to penetrate." she explained. "Most swords and arrows will simply glance off, especially on the scales upon it's back and sides. The under side is also protected, but I found that their scales are much softer under it's chin, as I've landed many solid blows there before. I've also managed to cause some damage to the divides between their scales, but I had to be very close for that."

"I see," Commander Caius commented. "Therefore, the only way to take them down is to get in close. That is extremely dangerous."

"Yes it is." Ty'ani replied with a nod. "That is why I would advice to never take on a dragon by yourself. By attacking in a group, it would be easier to surround it and split it's focus. However, there is a danger to that as well, because they tend use their Thu'um quite regularly. On the way back to Whiterun, my companions and I were attacked by a dragon and we had attempted to attack it from all sides, but it used it's fire breath to keep us all at bay. It understood that we were surrounding it and acted in response."

"So," said Proventus next when she was finished. "You are saying that dragons have a semblence of intelligence?"

Ty'ani nodded in response. "They are highly intelligent, as we found out. Before it landed we had attempted to take shelter in the forest, believing that we would be safe. But the dragon simply set the forest on fire, knowing that it would force us out into the open."

"Gods." the Commander gasped. "Is there no other weaknesses on those beasts at all?"

Ty'ani glanced down at her plateful then, her mind racing. She really didn't know what to answer with, as even she was still learning on what weaknesses dragons had. The only reason she had managed to kill any at all was purely blind luck, and because Haema and the others was with her. It was at that point that a thought came to her, remembering the first dragon she killed. "I believe there is." she said at last. "A few actually. The softer hide between their scales and it's underside should be a definite target and yes they are difficult to reach, but not impossible. It's possible to goad the dragon to face you head on."

"Pray tell," Irileth asked sceptically. "How can that be possible?"

"Because," Ty'ani replied, confidently gazing toward the Housecarl. "I believe that a dragon's greatest weakness is it's pride."

"It's pride?" the Jarl asked.

Ty'ani nodded. "Yes. By my experiences, as few as they are, I've discovered that dragons have a tendency of landing and engaging us directly. And I don't believe it's because they tire of flying, but because they are too proud to stay back from a fight. They think themselves to be far more superior to us, believing that we will be felled easily by them. However, their pride only enables us the opportunity to disable their wings to keep them from flying. That is another weakness as well. If a dragon cannot fly, then it cannot get away."

"Making it much more easier to kill it." Caius finished with a look of approval. "But what weapons are the most effective?"

It was Lydia that answered then. "In our experiences, sir, we found that well forged weapons, or even two handed heavier weapons, can penetrate through the hide should you strike correctly."

"And broadhead arrows are the most effective to penetrate their scales." Ty'ani continued. "And bodkin points are best to get between the scales. Ice spells also effect them greatly, should you have mages with you."

"I see." the Jarl nodded his head once the girl was finished, rubbing his chin in thought. "We shall be sure to put good use to this knowledge and arm our men accordingly."

"If I could make a suggestion, my Jarl." Lydia spoke up, waiting for Balgruuf's nod before continuing. "I'd advise to use this knowledge to only keep the creatures at bay, as without Ty'ani to absorb the soul I believe the dragon will merely come back to life more vengeful then before."

The Jarl nodded in understanding. "Understandable. There is no telling what powers these creatures have at ther disposal. Therefore Commander, be sure to have your men used this knowledge to repel the beasts from our borders. Drive them back to the mountains if you can."

"Yes my Jarl." the guard Commander acknowledged with a nod.

"Now," Balgruuf continued. "Let us continue our feast."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

As the night continued and the feast ended, Ty'ani felt as though she had eaten a whole horse, rubbing her overly stuffed belly with a wince. She can't remember the last time she had eaten so much in her life. The meal had been the best she has ever had in her life, but she was never doing it again. It was far too easy to convince her body to intake more of the delicious food, despite it's protests. Not to mention that she was feeling a little light headed after drinking more wine than she had intitially wanted to.

Once the servants came by to empty the tables, the nobles began to stand from their seats and intermingle with one another, Ty'ani and Lydia among them. The Khajiit was immediately bombarded with questions about her experiences and her own thoughts of her Dragonborn abilities, as well as how they worked. She answered what she could, often times repeating herself and slowly becoming overwhelmed by the bodies surrounding her. Not only that, but she also felt quite offended when some nobles blatantly insulted her, forcing herself not to become infuriated with the racist comments.

Eventually though, the nobles seemed to be satisfied with her answers and left her alone for the most part. That gave her the opportunity to glance over toward the throne, noticing that the Jarl hadn't moved from his seat. Seeing that he had a lot on his mind, Ty'ani escaped from the crowd, leaving behind Lydia, and approached him with a look of concern. "My Jarl, are you alright?" she asked quietly.

Glancing up, the Jarl's misty eyes cleared as though he was suddenly returning from a place where she could never follow. Straightening his back and clearing his throat, he replied. "Ah, yes. Thank you for your concern." after that though, his gaze lowered again, his lips pursing together. "Well, truthfully I had hoped to speak with you. Come, walk with me." he told her, rising from his seat and leading her toward the stairwell to the second floor.

Feeling her concern increasing, Ty'ani followed behind Whiterun's leader obediently while her own mind raced. Something must be going on if the Jarl was seeking solitude to simply talk with her. Honestly, Ty'ani wasn't even sure what she could say or what advice she could give, as she was vastly less educated than he is.

Reaching the war room at the top of the stairs, the Jarl paced over to the table, where a large map of Skyrim sat with many blue and red flags posted in random locations on it. At least to Ty'ani's eyes. The Nord man leant his palms on the tabletop, studying the map with tired eyes.

Ty'ani stopped a few feet away from the Jarl, folding her hands in front of her, waiting for Balgruuf to break the silence. At last, the man beckoned her to come closer. Obeying, she stepped up to his side which allowed him to place a hand on her small shoulder. He then gestured to the table, speaking in a low voice. "Look here, Dragonborn, and tell me what you see."

Not quite sure where the Jarl was going with this, Ty'ani studied the map. Even though she couldn't read the writing upon it, she still recognised many of the landmarks, such as the Throat of the World. From there, she located Whiterun, Ivarstead, Riften and all of the major cities that she had already been to. All throughout the map, there were red and blue flags with larger flags of the respective colours on Windhelm and Solitude. She eventually figured out that she was looking at army outposts.

Looking up at the Jarl, she spoke up. "It's a map of the Imperial and Stormcloak positions?" at the Jarl's nod, she continued. "But, there aren't any near Whiterun."

"Precisely." Balgruuf said. "And do you know why that is?"

Ty'ani shook her head, answering truthfully. "No m'lord."

"It is because I have fought to keep my Hold as neutral as possible in this forsaken war." he told her. "I fight day and night to repel the bloodshed from entering my borders, turning away both the Legion and the Stormcloaks when they seek my alligence, all in an effort not to drag my people into the conflict."

Understanding dawning on her, Ty'ani spoke again as she studied the map for a second time. "Is that why that Imperial soldier was here? To get you to join a side in the war?"

"Yes he was."

Ty'ani frowned at that. "If I may then, my Jarl, why is it that you decline? Surely if you choose a side in this war, wouldn't your people be better off for it?"

"That may be." he replied, removing his hand from her shoulder and taking a step back. Ty'ani watched him as he folded his hands behind his back. "However, you must understand that as a leader, it is up to you to make the hard decisions and those decisions may end up getting many people killed. The Stormcloaks and Imperials seek a foothold in my Hold to gain an advantage over the other, but in the centre of it all is the innocent people caught in the cross fire. While I have the power to prevent innocent deaths, then I will continue to do so, even if that means I refuse protection."

He stared directly into her eyes then. "It is the same with you. As Dragonborn, you have the power to most definitely turn the tide of the war. When the leaders learn of you- and they will- you will have demands to join both sides and you will have the choice to fight in the war, or refuse."

Ty'ani's chest tightened at that, not at all liking what she was hearing. This was precisely the reason why she didn't want to be a hero- or a leader for that matter- in the first place. She couldn't stand the thought that so many people would be depending on her to protect them. She dropped her head, sighing as she studied the floor below them. "Truthfully my Jarl," she said lowly. "That is precisely the reason I didn't want to be Dragonborn in the first place."

Balgruuf's brows rose at the truthful statement. "Oh?"

Looking up at him, the white Khajiit elaborated. "Having that many lives counting on me to save them, it feels as though the weight of the world is crushing down on my shoulders. I feel as though I cannot make those hard decisions, that I will end up getting hundreds of people killed should anyone, be they dragon or man, discover my abilities." she turned away then, pacing toward a nearby pillar and leaning heavily against it. "Even the Greybeards told me that my power should never be abused and should only be used for the worship of the Gods. But I do not even know if my Voice will end up helping others or hurting them."

The Jarl nodded, pacing over to her. "Ah, I believe I see where you are coming from." he told her, placing a hand on her shoulder once more, bringing her attention to him again. "Your Voice is a powerful thing, and you may believe that it will only be used as a tool of destruction. I shall say that yes, it may well be used as such, but only if you allow it."

"What do you mean?" Ty'ani inquired.

"Your power is no different to a sword Ty'ani," he explained. "You can choose to pick up the sword and use it if you so wish, but you can also keep the sword on the ground and find a different solution to find peace."

"But unlike a sword, I cannot put down this power." she retaliated.

"True, but you can choose not to use it. Just the same as you can choose a side in the war or not, or I choosing to remain neutral." he told her logically. "There is power in choice, Dragonborn, and you have much more than you believe."

Ty'ani blinked at that, surprised at the Jarl's words of wisdom. It certainly opened her mind up to many other options and helped her see the choices she has before her. She smiled. "I think I understand." she said. "I can choose to fight, or choose to create a new solution to a problem, or find my own path."

The Jarl nodded. "Yes. Remeber that when you feel lost, Dragonborn."

Her smile widened, bowing her head to him. "Thank you Jarl Balgruuf, you've certainly given me a lot to think about."

"My pleasure, Dragonborn Ty'ani. Now, the evening is drawing to a close, you may leave if you so wish to join the festivities at the market." he announced. "I trust you found the meal tonight enjoyable."

"It was the finest I have had, my lord." Ty'ani replied in a pleasant tone.

"Good to hear. Know that your presence here was a pleasure tonight. May the blessings of Kyne be with you, as well as your comrades."

Ty'ani bowed in response. "To you as well, my Jarl." shortly after, Ty'ani turned and retreated back down the steps to the throne room. It didn't take her long to find Lydia, as the woman was leaning against the wall near the steps. Her head snapped up when the Khajiit paced over to her, pushing off the wall to greet her. "My Thane, is everything alright?"

The girl nodded in response. "Yes, everything's fine. But I think we've mingled enough, so let us leave while we can."

"Right behind you." the brunette replied.

The two swiftly made their way to the entrance, retrieving their cloaks on the way out. They made their way back down the steps to the Wind District, which was slightly more difficult for Lydia especially, since it had gotten much darker while they were in the palace. Ty'ani could see just fine due to her natural night vision, but even she could admit that the cloudy night was a dark one.

"So," Lydia said once they reached the last step, the two hearing the sound of music from the district below them, as well as a number of party-goers. "What are the plans now? The night is still young after all."

"I might head back to Jorrvaskr for a moment to get out of this dress." Ty'ani answered, earning a light chuckle from the Nord. "After that, I think we'll head to the Bannered Mare and try to find Altwen, make sure she hasn't lost Ar'jenn."

"Fair enough." the Housecarl nodded, following behind the small Khajiit as she made her way up the steps to the meadhall.

As Ty'ani reached the top step however, that was when she suddenly got a strange feeling, like a tingle on the back of her neck which made her fur stand up on end. It was like something, or someone, was watching her. Frowning, she pivoted her head around, studying the district below her. From her scrutany, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, only the occational citizen and the patrolling guards. But she could have sworn that she was being watched.

Noticing that her Thane had stopped, Lydia paused in her step as well, looking at the girl with a concerned expression. "What is it?"

Darting her sapphire orbs around some more, Ty'ani replied. "I'm not sure. It feels like I'm being watched."

Brows furrowing, Lydia turned around to study the streets below as well, though everything seemed to be in place to her. Turning back to the Khajiit, Lydia's frown deepened. "Are you sure? Everything seems fine to me."

The girl looked her Housecarl in the eye before replying. "Yes. My instincts are telling me that someone is watching me, and they have never been wrong before."

"Well, even if there was someone acting suspiciously tonight, the guards would notice." Lydia reassured. "You've got nothing to be worried about."

Ty'ani bit her lip, turning away from the sight of the streets, beginning to walk into Jorrvaskr. "I suppose." she simply said. But still she felt tense. If someone out there intended ill toward her, then she was going to make sure not to let her guard down, as the last thing she wanted was to be caught unawares.

With that in mind, she followed her Housecarl into Jorrvaskr, still feeling the tingling feeling on the back of her neck.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jeez, done finally. I'm so sorry for the delay guys, ran into a major case of writer's block. I knew that would catch up with me at some point.

Edit: Just added a tiny little detail when Ty'ani was thinking about what clothes she has for the party. It will all be revealed in a few chapters.