Chapter 5:
- Halt! – the guard shouted from the walls. – What is your business in this city?
- I am an old friend of the Jarl! – Siris shouted back. – I have to talk to him!
- And your name is?
- Siris of Black Marsh!
The guard disappeared for a few minutes, and the gate opened. Dila and him entered the city. Dila had never been to Whiterun. Actually, she had never entered any of the hold capitals, except Dawnstar, and only because it had no gates.
Once she stepped inside, she was greeted with the sound of iron meeting hammer, coming from the little shop on the right. A woman was working on a small sword, right before she dripped it in water. A cloud of steam rose up from the basin as Siris rushed her to the marketplace.
She felt the smell of seasoned meat rise from the stands, mixing itself with the smell of vegeteables, freshly plucked from the fields.
"It must be harvest time." She thought, filling her lungs with the new sensation.
- Enjoying yourself, Dila? – She heard Siris say. He was walking up a few stairs, heading for the Jarl`s manor. – Do you want to stay here, or would the damsel accompany me to Dragonsreach?
Dila thought and reflected on the question. She glanced over the stalls, craving for a bite into those plump apples, wanting to buy a circlet that would match her skin…
And then she looked at Siris.
And she decided:
- I`m coming with you.
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The Jarl`s Manor was big. It had a large dining table, which was overlooked by the Jarl himself, sitting on his throne. The Jarl was a big man, broad shouldered, with a well kept beard and a golden crown dotted with rubies. He got up from his throne when Siris appeared in the door, and opened his arms when he got close:
- Siris! My old friend. – the Jarl said, giving Siris a long hug, a gesture Siris repayed.
- Balgruuf. It is nice to see you again!
Balgruuf broke the hug. He was smiling. The he sat his eyes on Dila.
- And who, may I ask, is your friend?
- Jarl Balgruuf, this is…
- I am Dila of Elsewyr. – she cut Siris`s phrase. She was tired of having others present her.
Both the Jarl and Siris starde at her. In the Jarl`s eyes, she could see nothing. But in Siris`s, she saw admiration. He grinned and said:
- That is her.
- Any friend of Siris is a friend of mine. – the Jarl said. – So, Siris, what brings you here?
- I am merely passing by. Me and my friend over there are going to Solitude in the morning, and we thought about passing here to see if we could gather supplies. Although I wouldn`t mind sleeping in a bed.
The Jarl laughed and told his steward to get two guest rooms arranged. The man obeyed and went up a flight of stairs. Siris turned and told Dila:
- Dila, why don`t you go and visit the city? It is your first time in here, right?
- Yes. Actually, it`s my first time in this hold.
- And do you think I am doing a good job keeping it safe? – the Jarl said, jokingly.
- Well, the roads could be safer. Siris and I can account for that… - she said, earning her a laugh from both men. – But I think your hold is way cleaner than the Pale.
- Well, then. I will notify the captain of the guard of your complaint. We don`t want to keep visitors from coming, now, do we?
The three laughed, and Balgruuf signaled to a Dunmer that was standing by his throne.
- This is Irileth. – he said, signaling at the woman. – She is my housecarl, my bodyguard, and she will be your guide to the city.
- It wll be my honor, Dila. – the woman said, bowing respectfully. Dila wasn`t used to those kinds of honors, so she bowed at the Dark Elf. The two men chuckled.
Dila was begging to find something interesting in Siris`s laugh. It seemed… she didn`t knew what it was. It was just catchy. But it also had a sad note to it. Only the slightest of sadness creeped it`s way into the laugh. She liked it.
- Dila, are you allright? – she heard Irileth ask. She snapped from a small trance Siris`s laugh had thrown her in.
- Yes, thank you, Irileth. – she said, emabrassed. She then put a smile on her face. – Shall we go, then?
- Of course. You lead.
The two women walked across the dinning room and went outside. Siris closed the great wooden door behind them. They walked down the stone stairs. It was a beautifull sunset, behind the mountains that circled the city.
- So, Dila… - Irileth started, as they circled the tree in the centre of the plaza. – How did you meet Siris?
- Oh, that? – Dila pondered. If she told her, would it do any damage? – He helped me with some trouble I got in. After that, we slept on an inn and he got some job from someone called Black-Briar…
- Black-Briar? – Irileth snapped, barging into Dila`s line of thought. – What does that despicable woman want?
- Excuse me?
- Did she gave Siris a letter?
Dila recalled. She remembered Siris showing her the letter he had received from Maven. It was sealed with a black Nightshade seal. Siris said something about it being important. Dila described the seal to Irileth, which caused the Dunmer`s eyes shine with a glow of darkness.
- That is Black-Briar`s Seal of Importance. It seems she is finally stretching out and offering her support to someone. Where are you going to?
- He mentioned Solitude and… I`m sorry, is there a war going on?
Irileth looked at her, obviously shocked by her obliviousness. The town was beginning to get quiet, probably the mothers calling their children home.
- You don`t know about the Stormcloak Rebeliion?
- No.
- For how long have you been on Skyrim?
- About two years.
- Have you been living under a rock?
- No, but we never got passed any city gates. All we heard was that the guards were tried of going to duty. Something about arrows to the knees…
- Let me put you up to speed. Skyrim is the homeland of the Nords,and the Empire…
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Siris downed another gulp of mead. The strong taste was mixed with something a bit sweeter.
- Juniper berries? – he asked.
- Yes. We have a few barrels left. Helgen might be gone, but we were smart enough to save a little bit of their mead.
- I heard about Helgen.
- Terrible thing, no? – Balgruuf said, taking another gulp on his tankard. – Dragons. They used to be just stories my mother told me about.
- Good thing that we had that Dovahkiin to take care of Alduin. – Siris said, taking a bite in the apple pie. The sweet taste combined well with the Juniper berries in the mead. – Where is he, anyway?
- He went to High Hrothgar, to live as a Greybeard the rest of his life.
Siris raised his tankard, in a silent toast. The dining table felt empty without Irileth and the rest of the Jarl`s staff. They were sitting in the middle of the table, in front of each other. They gulped deeply and thumped the tankards in the table.
- So, that Khajit. – Balgruuf began, grinning. – How did you meet her?
- Oh, nothing much. Saved her life, paid her some mead, the usual.
Balgruuf sent out a thundering laugh. Siris knew this was just an act. Balgruuf was one of the few people who could beat him in the drinking business.
- You are not going to fool me this time. I`m not carrying you to bed.
- Equally said. – Balgruuf said, downing another quarter of his mead. – Shall we see how long we can last?
- Not now. I am afraid that the damsels might come in through the door. And you know how I act if I get drunk.
- A lot funnier than you are now.
- Besides, I have something I needed to discuss with you. And I`d prefer to do it sober.
Balgruuf sighed, took off his crown and placed it in front of him. He knew what was going to happen. Siris was way too straightforward that evening for it to be anything other than that.
- Black-Briar is taking sides, isn`t she?
- I didn`t open the letter this time, but she wouldn`t send me to Solitude if it wasn`t something as important as this.
- What do you think is written in the letter? – Balgruuf said, staring emptily into the central ruby in the crown.
- I don`t know. It could be a threatening letter to Tulius, or it could be an allegiance note. I have no idea. And honestly… - he said, taking another gulp at the mead. – I think it`s about time you chose sides. You are probably the only man in the nine holds to have not chosen sides.
Balgruuf sighed. He knew that what Siris was saying was true. He stood up and walked to a window, taking a look at the stars in the sky.
- Look, I need time to think.
- Balgruuf, I…
- When you return, I will have the answer. Now… - he said, retaking his place in front of Siris. – Tell me what you think of Dila.
- What do you mean? – Siris said, grinning.
- You know what I mean. I don`t know anything about Khajit beauty. But as a beast, I guess you would have some idea of what is a good-looking Khajit.
- Siris laughed at the possibility.
- I guess it has something to do with their ears. Maybe the tail. Or maybe it`s the eyes…
He remembered her eyes. Green, with the kind of savage beauty that fascinated Siris so much. He remembered her sweet laugh.
- Siris?
Siris was thrown back into reality. The Jarl was tapping him in the shoulder.
- You all right? – his friend asked, concerned.
- Yes. I just need some more mead.
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Dila and Irileth were walking back up the stairs.
- So the Thalmor rule the empire because of the White-Gold Concordat? – Dila asked, beginning to understand what she had gotten herself into.
- More or less. Ever since they outlawed the cult to Talos, they only attracted more animosity from the Nords, the Stormcloacks in special.
They had done many things. Dila needed more arrows in her quiver. Luckilly, the blacksmith of the city had plenty to spare, and Dila even bought herself two new daggers, made out of the same material as her bow, Malachite.
In the time lapse that had passed, Dila`s animosity towards the Nords turned into hate. The first opportunity she`d have, she would join the Legion. She was itching to get revenge on the people who had treated her like trash. Irileth could see the fire in the eyes of the Khajit.
As they opened the door to Dragonsreach, they were greeted by a view none of them would forget for quite some time.
Siris and the Jarl were dancing on top of the dinning table`s hall table, singing something about Dragons, all the while kicking pies and candles all over the place. Dila dodged an apple pie that Siris kicked in her direction, before being hit by another that the Jarl had kicked. When the two men saw her, crouching while the filling of the pie went down her face, they stared at her silently for a moment for a moment. The room was quiet for a few seconds, right before Siris broke the peace by laughing as loudly as his lungs permitted him.
Dila wasn`t sure what to do. Actually, she wanted to punch Siris`s snout in. Instead, she started laughing. Firstly, a nervous, quiet laughing, which quickly became as loud as Siris`s. Irileth just stood there, not sure of how to handle the situation. Siris stumbled and Dila rushed to him. As he fell on the ground, she crouched by him.
- Siris! – she said, procupied. – Are you hurt?
He rolled to the side, and Dila saw that he was still laughing. A strong smell of alcohol emanated from his mouth. She started laughing with him.
- Dila. – she heard Irileth say. She turned around and saw that Irileth was helping a nearly unconscious Balgruuf walk. – We better get them to bed. Do you want some help?
- No need. I can lift him. See you in the morning, Irileth.
As Irileth disappeared up the the stairs, Dila put Siris`s arm around her shoulders before hauling him up. He was still chuckiling lightly. The laugh resonated on his chest, and Dila felt her own chest tremble. She felt comfortable. He was lighter than he seemed.
- You are going to have to thank me a lot in the morning.
But the saying fell in emptiness: Siris was already asleep. He snored slightly. Dila quickened her pace. She opened a little door near an alchemy table. A small bed was located near the wardrobe. She lowered him in the bed.
- There you go, sleepyhead.
She observed him sleeping. He seemed so tranquil.
Why did she felt so warm?
"He is an Argonian! We were supposed to hate each other!"
She lowered her head and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.
- Sleep well, Siris.