Chapter 5

In the morning Helgrim woke with soreness in muscles he hadn't even realized he had. He groaned, but sat up and rubbed his face to get the sleep out. Then he stood up and stretched, wincing with the pain of doing so, but knowing it was necessary. He undressed and poured the water from the pitcher into the bowl and took a rag to start washing up. He didn't have time for a full bath right now. Now that he had made it to Winterhold, he could stay a few days and recuperate the strength he'd lost from the trip here, but there was still a lot that he needed to get done. After the cold sponge bath, he dressed in his other clothes and decided he would have to wash the other ones. Either that or he would just burn them and buy some new clothes. One way or another he would be better off with putting his other set of clothes on. Then he went through everything that he had collected thus far. He had a traveling cloak now so he would be able to sell the wolf furs. He was sure he could find a bed roll here and perhaps even a tent so that he might not need to sleep in the snow without protection again. He had a lot of items he could sell if he could just find the right person to buy them.

He left the room after putting the backpack back on and walked out into the common room of the inn. The fire was warm and he sighed, standing there a moment before turning and going to the counter. The man he had spoken to last night, Dagur, was tending the bar and cleaning it with a rag. When he sat down on the stool, the man came over and smiled.

"Morning, Helgrim. Did you sleep alright?"

"Yes, thank you, Dagur. Tell me, is it always so empty here?"

"Ah, well, Winterhold's been falling on hard times as of late. We get enough business, I suppose. We're still here, after all."

"I'll help you out. Could I have some bread and cheese with a mug of ale, please?" Helgrim asked as he dug into the coin purse for the money.

"Sure can. I'll have my wife, Haran, bring it to you at one of the tables."

Helgrim nodded at the man, paid for his meal and then walked over to a table and sat down. Not far away was a man who seemed to be rather drunk. As he thought it was a tad early to be so drunk, he turned away from the man. His experience with drunkards was that they didn't like to be disturbed when they were drinking. He wasn't about to start a fight with the man simply to lecture about his drinking. Before long Haran brought his meal over and he smiled at her. He hadn't really met her last night, but from the way that Dagur looked when he spoke of her he understood that she was a nice woman. He thanked her and then started to eat his breakfast. The ale tasted stale, but he didn't care. It was liquid that wasn't melted snow. He ate the bread and cheese, savoring the taste of the mundane food. It was nothing special, but to Helgrim it was so good. When he got to Kynesgrove he was going to not go anywhere for a long time. He would probably get a job working around Kynesgrove before he went to join the army. A little peace and quiet would make him feel rested certainly.

After his meal, he handed Haran a few gold as a tip for her service and then left the Frozen Hearth Inn to explore the town. He huddled into the cloak and looked across the way. He saw a large, three story structure that had a flag outside of the doors. The Jarl's house, no doubt. He steered clear of it and turned to head to the stables to check on Matilda. He entered the building and found her in a stall munching hay contentedly. He smiled when she looked up and saw him there. She whickered and came to the rope across the doorway. He went over to her and patted her head softly, scratching in between her eyes. She closed her eyes and lowered her head even more, relaxing. Helgrim then moved to her neck, resting his forehead on her own.

"We're almost home, Matilda. Just a few more days and we'll be in Kynesgrove. Just a few more days."
He then stood up and patted her once more before turning and leaving the stable. She was doing fine so he figured that he would look around a little. He passed by what he suspected was the Jarl's house and continued down the street. He saw where there were homes that were only ruins now and wondered about that, about the whole town actually. What happened here to make it so small and so sparse? Shrugging, he saw a sign hanging from a pole above a door denoting that inside was a shop. He opened the door and stepped in, feeling the warmth. He shook off the chill and smiled at the woman behind the counter.

"Welcome to Birna's Oddments. I'm Birna."

"Thanks. Helgrim. What sort of shop is this, Birna?"

"It's a mish-mash of items. I get what I can and sell what I can. Honestly, I don't even know why I try because my fool brother is always spending whatever we make on drink."

Helgrim didn't say anything to that since he was of a mind that you look out for your family, you don't take what they earn and spend it on something so stupid as alcohol. He enjoyed a good drink here and there, who didn't, but he understood that it should be his own money that he used to get that drink. Instead, he switched the topic back to that of his reason for being there.

"I came in today to sell some of the items I collected through my travels." He started to pull out the items that he couldn't sell at the blacksmith or potion shop in Dawnstar. By the time he was finished, he was once again flush with money. He now carried over three thousand gold pieces in his money pouch. It had become such an issue that he was very careful as he said goodbye to her and left the shop. He headed back to the inn and remained there for the rest of the day, afraid to leave again in case someone decided he looked like a good target for pickpocketing.

After Helgrim spent another day in Winterhold, he decided that he needed to at least talk to the people in the inn and find out how to get to Kynesgrove. He smiled and left his room, utilizing the chest that was in it to hide his backpack with his carefully hidden money purse inside and underneath the bag. He went up to the innkeeper, Dagur, and sat down at the bar. He waited until the man came back over to him and grinned, letting his easy going nature flow freely.

"Good day, Dagur."

"And to you, Helgrim."

"I was hoping I could enlist your aid, Dagur." He pulled the map out of his pocket and laid it on the counter, then looked at the man. "I am on my way home to Kynesgrove. I'm sure you can tell that I'm not from around here. I actually grew up in Hammerfell, but I've decided to return to my home in Kynesgrove. Unfortunately, the ship that was supposed to land in Windhelm wrecked off the coast near Dawnstar." He took a sip of his ale and watched Dagur in case he thought to take him out and steal his stuff. He didn't know the man, but was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

"Aye. I see. You've had a bad way of it then, eh? The only way to get to Kynesgrove from here is to head down south toward Windhelm. Kynesgrove is within a few hours ride from there. If you follow the main road outta here it'll take you right to Windhelm."

"Oh, thank you. You don't know how much that makes me happy. I'm so ready to finally reach home that I'm tempted to just ride Matilda straight through, but that wouldn't be right of me. She, too, needs her rest the same as I. Tell me, how long should it take me to reach Windhelm if I stop at night to rest?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. Let me ask Nelacar." Then he motioned his hand up to get the attention of a man wearing what looked like mages robes. "Nelacar, this is Helgrim. He's looking to get to Kynesgrove. How long is it from here to Windhelm by hoof if you're resting at night?"

"Resting at night? Oh, I'd say probably three days. You might be able to push it in two days, but your horse would be knackered."

"Thank you, Nelacar. There you go, Helgrim. Three days if you don't want to kill your horse. That help?"

"Yes, thank you both. I suppose I should probably stay the day and leave out at dawn tomorrow." Helgrim nodded to both of them and went back into his room. Sure, he was being antisocial, but he was paranoid that they were going to steal his money. His money that he worked very hard to earn. He lay on his bed, his coin purse now beneath his head and not in the chest, and thought of his journey here. He'd come so far and already he was finding it rough. It had been days since he'd actually shaved his beard. His hair had grown at least an inch since he had been here. He hadn't heard anything from his family or Eir yet, but he didn't really expect to. It had only been two weeks since he sent his letters to them. A couple more weeks and he should hear back from them. Perhaps in the next letter he could send money home to his family so that they, too, could come home to Skyrim eventually.
He slept fitfully that night, and in the morning when he woke with the dawn, he dressed quietly and put his backpack on, slipped into the common tavern room of the inn, put his money for the room on the counter and went outside. The first place he went to was the stable and he found Matilda in her stall munching on hay happily. He sighed and slipped into the stall to give her a huge hug. He then found her tack and got her saddled and ready, then left the stable, mounted up and turned toward the only way out of town. Winterhold was a depressing little town and he was glad to be saying farewell to it. Perhaps someday he would return and be in better spirits about the whole thing, but right now he just wanted to get to Kynesgrove and relax.

"Come on, Tilly. We're on our way and we have a three day trek ahead of us."

Helgrim urged her on into a canter and they pair moved along the ground easily. None saw the Nord riding out of town save for one that remained unseen. The eyes glowed in the shadows and moved as the animal followed the man and horse once again. Silently, stealthily. In fact he didn't even notice they were being followed until they had gotten a fair distance from town. He rode alongside a mountain to his right and a cliff down to his left. He could have sworn the snow was playing tricks with his eyes because he was sure that he saw that creature's eyes again. He still had no idea what type of creature it was because all he ever caught sight of were the eyes. They glowed almost blue, something he'd only seen in people and Matilda and possibly a few dogs. This thing was definitely not a dog. He didn't panic, though. If the thing wanted to attack him it would have by now. Apparently it was just watching him. The reason hadn't revealed itself yet, but he was confident that it would eventually.
About an hour away from town he passed a mine and stopped Matilda. He dismounted and went up to the owner who introduced himself as Thorgar. A quick chat revealed the mine was called the Whistling Mine and it had lodes of iron in its depths. According to Thorgar, however, they were going to strike it rich by exposing silver or gold soon enough. He thought that he was paranoid about his money but this man put him to shame with the way he felt about the mine. He was warned by Thorgar that it belonged to him and not to forget it. Thanking the man, he mounted Matilda once again and continued down the road. The people here were interesting, even if they were a tad strange. He guessed that to some he was looked at as strange as well. It didn't bother him really. Ever since he had been a lad of five and led a hunting dog away from its prey there had been talk that he had cursed elf blood in his veins. He didn't, both of his parents were Nords, and he just had a gift with animals, but people didn't care about stuff as mundane as that. They were always looking for the drama they could scandalize people with.

They rode for another hour or so before Helgrim once more dismounted from the horse. In front of him were a group of three bandits intent upon robbing him of his valuables. He tried to warn them, but unfortunately for them Matilda didn't have that same capability and charged after them. He simply stood there and laughed before pulling his blade and darting in to stab one of the men in the back as they attacked the mare. Then he jumped back and crouched. Matilda seemed to know her own strength and stopped fighting the last man. She snorted and snapped her teeth at the air, causing the guy to stumble backwards and fall to the ground. It was as if she was playing with the bandit on the ground. A cat toying with the mouse for sure.

"Tilly, cut it. Step back," Helgrim instructed and surprisingly the mare listened. This gave the man on the ground the time he needed to get back up, but not before Helgrim noticed him. "I should warn you. If you run she'll chase you down." Then he grinned at the guy.

The man turned and ran down the road. Helgrim never said a thing. Didn't give her a command or anything of the sort. The mare pinned her ears at the man running away and squealed, then took off after him. Helgrim turned to watch and saw the horse knock him down. The man didn't get back up again. He had to wonder if Talos had brought Matilda to him because she was one hell of a war horse. Something that any Nord would die for and he had one. If he could have brought her into the inn with him to sleep in his room he would have done so. She deserved to be treated much better than a stall in a stable with hay to eat. He would make her a warm mash when they got to Kynesgrove, he determined.

"Come on, Tilly," Helgrim called and she came over and allowed him to mount up again. They started down the road once more and he began to look for a place to stay for the night now. He was about to give up and look for a place in the snow to sleep when he spotted a cave up ahead. He figured that a cave was large enough to bring the horse into as he got closer, he could even make sure that Matilda was warmer than she would be outside of it. Good thing, too, because it was starting to snow again. The wind whipped around and Helgrim shivered with it all. They reached the cave when dark arrived and he dismounted, leading her inside. He inspected it carefully. Not going all that far into the cave, he settled Matilda and took the saddle off. Then he started a fire and laid out his bedroll near it. That had been a useful item to purchase, he told himself. He could already see many uses for it in the future. After a quick supper of wolf meat for him and a bowl of carrots and apples for Matilda, he lay down to sleep for the night. It felt much better having his horse next to him and he slept restfully without waking up until morning.

Helgrim was awakened in the morning by the soft touch of a warm muzzle as it snuffled his face just before a wet tongue came out and licked him. He sputtered and opened his eyes to find him looking directly into those of his mare, Matilda. He laughed and patted her neck lightly before playfully pushing her away.

"Come on, Tilly, out of my face. Blech!" he said as he wiped his face off and rose to stand, stretching. "I just might rethink this whole 'sleeping with my horse' thing if you keep that up," he teased and then started to work on getting their breakfast made.

Twenty minutes later she had a warm mash to eat and he was eating some bread and cheese with a bottle of ale to wash it down. He took out the map from his pocket and looked it over. Dagur had gone and put a few more places on the map to help him find his way and from what he was seeing, this was Stillborn Cave. These places had some rather depressing names. Forsaken Cave, Stillborn Cave... What was next, Outcast Outpost? It hadn't taken him all that long to get here from Winterhold, though the fight with the bandits on the road had cost them about a half hour of traveling. No matter, he should be able to get to the Windhelm stables by the end of the day or if not at least to Anga's Mill. He could only hope that Anga would allow him to stay there the night if he couldn't reach Windhelm before darkness fell.

After their breakfast was finished, he packed up his things and saddled Matilda before tugging on his cloak and pulling the backpack on. Then he led the mare out of the cave and into the daylight. The sun was playing a trick on him because it made it look warm and inviting, but it was freezing cold out here. A few snowflakes were still falling and he shivered. Matilda nudged him with her muzzle and whickered softly to him. He smiled and patted her nose, then moved to her side and mounted up.

"Come on, girl. We've got a distance to go today."

Matilda snorted and moved into a canter on her own, carrying Helgrim down the road swiftly. He was quickly finding this horse to be invaluable to him and he knew that if anything ever happened to her he would be beside himself with grief. He'd gotten attached to a few horses in Hammerfell, but they hadn't been his own. As a blacksmith, he'd had to put shoes on a lot of horses, but there were some that he had worked on that had shown the intelligence that he had come to believe horses have within. Whenever he had talked to his brother about it he had been laughed at, but Eir got it. She understood. Matilda was no different. He knew she was intelligent. He had not known many horses, if any, that would run a thief down and kill him because he threatened the horse's rider. She does, though, and that made Helgrim wonder what made her tick. She didn't hate people or she would have been a vicious horse for some time and Abelone would have known about the issues and said something.

Eir would have a field day with Matilda. He could see them interacting together in his mind. Matilda would run behind Eir lipping at her hair and Eir would laugh then turn around and hug the mare. He smiled and absently patted the mare as she cantered down the road. It was a good thing she was such a good horse because he certainly wasn't paying attention. It wasn't until a branch nearly wiped him off her back that he came back to paying attention. He shook his head and slowed the mare to a walk so he could look at the map and see how far they might have gone. Unfortunately there weren't any landmarks that he could use to pinpoint where they were so he put the map back into his pocket and urged Matilda into a trot.

"We have to keep our eyes peeled, Tilly. I don't wanna miss that turn."

Thirty minutes later he saw a stone structure up ahead and slowed Matilda to a walk again so he could see where that was. When he took the map out and looked he read it was the Fort Kastav they were approaching. From what Dagur had said he should ride through the pass quickly because he'd heard that there were some pretty tough mages holed up in there that could do some damage if they were to attack him. He tucked the map away again and looked down at Matilda.

"Well, girl, it's time for some galloping. Think you're up for it?"

The mare tossed her head and snorted, stomping in place before snapping her tail as if to say that she was more than ready for it. Helgrim smiled and patted her neck and then crouched over her neck to make him less of a target and whispered in her ear to "go". The mare leaped forward with power that he hadn't even known she had been storing and before he knew it they were galloping along the road. The mare's hooves thundered as she rushed past the fort's stone walls. He heard someone call out an alarm, but by then he and the mare were already past the entrance. Though he did feel the blast of a few fireballs that were thrown his way and landed off to the side. Matilda, too, felt them because she would dodge sideways in stride and he was impressed by that as well. Not only could she fight like a Nord warrior, but she could dodge out of the way like a Khajiit thief. Interesting.

They ran for another thirty minutes before Helgrim pulled her up to a walk and checked her over from horseback to make sure she wasn't hurt. He sighed and leaned forward, hugging her neck. Sure, he was getting very attached to her, but when a horse steps in front of you to fight off thieves and dodges out of the way of fireballs, what else could you do? He sent a prayer into the wind to thank Talos for bringing the mare to him and asked him to continue to keep him safe on his journey. Once he was sure they were both fine, he dug in his backpack while keeping her walking and pulled out another slice of cheese and some hay. He held onto the cheese and leaned forward again, offering the hay to the horse. Matilda took it gratefully and munched noisily. Helgrim smiled and chewed on his cheese. It was their lunch, eaten while moving to make sure they kept on task and stayed on track for time. Since they galloped some of the way they should be ahead of schedule and might actually make the stables before dark.
As the pair traveled, Helgrim needed something to do so he started talking to Matilda. He told her all about his family and all about Eir. He spoke of how he'd learned to blacksmith from Eir's father and gone hunting with his own father. How he had come to fall in love with Eir and she with him. How he had said his goodbyes the night before he left Hammerfell. At times the mare would snort as if she were commenting about his words, but that was ridiculous. He went on to tell about his trip by carriage, ship and caravan, then about the shipwreck and arriving in Dawnstar. He was sure the horse didn't care about what he was saying, but at least it kept him from being bored and tired.

The snow covered road soon gave way to one that was only dirt. It made him take the map out again and saw that soon he would have to take a left to get on the road that would take him to Windhelm. Within ten minutes of looking at the map he came upon the turn. He figured that since they were heading in a southern direction that it was only natural for the road to be dirt and not covered in snow. It didn't make it any warmer, however, and he huddled into the cloak to keep whatever warmth he had inside his body where it was instead of being whipped away by the wind. At least he had a hardy constitution so he hadn't gotten sick from being out in the cold, not to mention all that time spent in the freezing water. Perhaps it had something to do with him being a Nord, maybe he was just naturally used to it more than the other races. Whatever the reason, he was glad for it. Being sick and taking this journey would suck big time.

Helgrim heard the river long before he saw it and decided to stop and let Matilda get a drink as well as take a break for himself. So when the river finally came into view, he slowed her down to a walk, then a stop and dismounted. He removed the bridle from her head and let her get a drink from the cold water. He pulled a bottle of wine from his bag and took a few sips of the liquid. He found a rock and sat upon it as he watched the sun dance over the moving water. Matilda splashed in the water and Helgrim laughed heartily at her play. This is what horses were supposed to do, not chase after thieves and kill them. Not that he was about to complain. Having a companion like Matilda was one of the best things he could have right now. She was keeping him sane, keeping him moving and giving him a purpose. Plus, he wanted to make sure he got to show her to Eir. After a little bit of a rest, he called the mare and she came up to him with a whicker, then placed her head in his arms so he could put the bridle back on her. Then he swung up into the saddle and turned her back onto the road.

Now that the two of them were refreshed they trotted down the road at a good clip and soon came up to a small group of buildings. He checked the map and saw that it was Anga's Mill he was approaching and checked the sky to see how much daylight they had left. He wasn't sure how much further Windhelm was, but if he stayed here tonight they could get on the road in the morning and easily make it to Windhelm. Making the decision to stop, Helgrim pulled Matilda to a halt outside the first house and dismounted. He let her wander and walked up to the door to knock upon the wood.

"Who's there?"

"Good day, miss. My name is Helgrim and I was hoping to make Windhelm tonight, but it doesn't appear that is a viable option since the sun is already starting to set."

"Yeah?"
"I uh, was hoping that you might uh, have a spare bed or even space on the floor that I might be able to stay for the night?" Helgrim wasn't nervous or anything. He just knew how it sounded to a stranger. The woman appeared to think about his words, though.

"Aeri is my name. I guess if you're willing to cut up the last of the lumber at the mill I could let you stay the night."

"Just cut up some lumber? I can do that. Thank you, Aeri." Helgrim gave her a nod and a kind smile, then turned and led Matilda over to a spot of grass and took her saddle and bridle off so she could graze.

He knew the mare well enough by now to know she wouldn't wander away. Then he made his way to the lumber mill and walked up the ramp to where the logs sat. He pulled one of the logs off the pile and loaded it onto the belt that brought it toward the saw. He didn't wait for it to be cut and turned, already getting the next one ready. There was a pile of about twenty logs and it took him the rest of the daylight to get them all cut, but they were all sawn by the time full dark set in. He walked down the ramp again and patted Matilda's rump lightly.

"You be a good girl tonight, Tilly. Here's some hay for you." He pulled some of the hay out of his knapsack and put it on the ground beside her. Then he walked back to the house and knocked on the door.
"I've finished those logs, Aeri," Helgrim said to the woman after she opened the door. He saw her look at the mill and see that indeed the pile of logs was gone. She smiled and then stepped back, allowing him inside. As he went in he saw that it was a common area, with no separation. There were several beds here and two of them were being used, he noticed.

"Those are my employees, Kodrir and Leifur. They won't cause you any trouble. Thank you for taking care of that last load of logs. Maybe now I can get the order for Skald the Elder filled and shipped back to Dawnstar," she murmured and turned away.

"Dawnstar? I was there not that long ago. Does the Jarl's reach extend this far out?"

"Of course, though I think we might be on the furthest edge of the territory. I do business in Windhelm also."

"I would think so, if it is as close as I think it is. Well, thank you again for the use of one of your beds. It's better than sleeping outside in the snow."

"Oh dear, is that what you've been doing? Divines bless you, why are you sleeping outside?"

"I'm a traveler from Hammerfell, actually, though I was born here in Skyrim. My ship was supposed to dock in Windhelm, but it wrecked off the coast of Dawnstar and I've been making my way here. First on foot, but now that I have Matilda the traveling is much quicker."

"Hammerfell? A shipwreck? How exciting that sounds, though I bet it has been very hard on you." Helgrim saw her look down at her hands coyly and swallowed. He hoped he wouldn't have another Abelone situation on his hands. She was pretty, but he had Eir already.

"Yes, well, it's been a tiring day. Thank you again." Helgrim yawned to show he was tired and Aeri got the message. She welcomed him, then excused herself and left the house.

He looked around the room and could see that the other two were already asleep. He would be soon enough. As he secured his backpack to the bedpost and tucked his coin purse into his shirt so he would feel if anyone tried to take it away from him, he fell asleep and dreamed of his home in Hammerfell. He dreamed of spending the day with Kenna, instructing her on her reading and writing, then taking Eir for a picnic. He knew it was a dream, however, because Matilda was there, lipping at Eir's hair and making her laugh. He sighed and morning came way too early for him. The light came in through the windows and he stretched slowly, yawning a few times as he woke up. He found a bowl and pitcher of water and washed up quickly before putting his cloak back on and then the backpack. He took one last look around and then left the house. Matilda rose to her feet from her position on the ground and shook the snow off her coat, snorting. He smiled and went to her, patting her neck. He gave her a bowl of oats and then brushed her quickly with a handful of hay before saddling her up. He heard the saw running and logs being cut and watched the two men who worked for Aeri move the logs around. They must have been up before the sun to get the logs up there.

"Well Tilly, it's time we set out to Windhelm. We should be able to reach the city by noon. I might even be able to get rid of the last of this stuff." He shook the backpack and smiled as she finished her oats. "Then we can find out how long it will take to get to Kynesgrove. I'm excited. I'm ready. I've not seen my cousin since I was a lad of just two years old. I wonder if I will even recognize Iddra when we get there or if she will even recognize me." He put the bowl away and bridled the mare before mounting up. He waved to Aeri who was busy working and turned onto the road that would take him to Windhelm.

The road to Windhelm was not that rough and they were not bothered by any bandits or thieves or Imperials. All very good things, indeed. They rode over a stone bridge that went over the river that they had gotten a drink from the day before and continued the trek along the road. It had become snow covered again and he heard Matilda's hooves crunch each time she took a step, but it couldn't be helped. As they trotted along he looked at the landscape and was still amazed. He couldn't get over how spectacular Skyrim looked. He'd seen mountains in Hammerfell, sure, but here in Skyrim they were something else. With peaks that went so high that they were in the clouds and were covered in snow, they made him feel very small and insignificant at times. Today he was on his way home, though. At least he expected to be able to get there today.

Another twenty minutes and they had come to an area where a road went to the right and then the road they were on continued straight. He'd been told by Aeri at breakfast that there was a shrine to Talos down the road that went right and that Windhelm was straight ahead. He looked at the sun and guessed he had enough time to look for the shrine. If nothing else he could leave a gift for his deity and pray before heading back to Windhelm. With a smile, he turned Matilda down the road to the right and walked her. He wasn't sure how far down he had to go, but figured that if it took more than an hour he would turn back and go to Windhelm. There was sure to be one located in the city that was home to the Stormcloak army. The sun was warming as he rode the horse down the road and soon came to a path that led uphill off the road he was on currently. It was the first offshoot, so he decided to follow it.

Matilda cantered up the hill easily and Helgrim enjoyed looking at the view. Not only could he see the shrine ahead of him, he could see Windhelm in the distance. It all made for an exquisite picture. He dismounted from the mare as they reached the shrine steps and he patted her, then took the knapsack off his back and detached one of the weapons he'd tied onto the pack and laid the sword at the feet of the stone Talos. He knelt and said his silent prayer. When he stood up, he grinned and turned back to Matilda.

"Well, Tilly, we have his guidance for a little while longer. I am pleased to find that I can still worship Talos even in Skyrim. I just have to be more discreet about it." He laughed and then mounted the horse again, turned her away from the shrine and back down the path that led to the road. When they got back onto the road, he turned her right to head in the direction they'd come from recently which would lead them back to Windhelm. He felt much better about the rest of the journey since he was able to pray to Talos. Back home they had prayed to Talos at least three times a day. He always felt better about doing so at a shrine or in a temple, but he understood enough to know he could pray to Talos anywhere. He had done so several times during his trip already. They made it back to the "main" road and turned right once again, trotting across another stone bridge.

Matilda snorted and tossed her head after they reached the other side and the wind whipped back into her face. He could see the stables and the horses milling around it so he guessed that she probably got a pretty good whiff of the horses that were there. Maybe there was a horse that was giving off a bad vibe. He shrugged and patted her neck softly, then urged her forward with his heels. She walked on, but was nervous. She hadn't acted this way since... Helgrim turned to look at the rocky woods on the other side of the road and searched. Now that he was aware, he felt the eyes watching him. The creature was back and it was causing Matilda to be nervous and jumpy. He frowned and walked her the rest of the way to the stables and dismounted, but stayed at her head and continued to look at the woods and rocks.

"Nothing can be seen, Tilly. You'll be alright here. I promise." He gave her a hug, then led her to the stables and motioned to a male elf who looked like he was in charge. "Good afternoon! I'm looking to stable my horse here for a day."

"Good afternoon to you, sir. Of course, it's ten gold pieces for a day and the horse would be fed and watered as well as brushed out by my stable-boy. My name's Ulundil. I own the stables."

"That sounds just fine, Ulundil. I'm Helgrim and this is Matilda." He motioned to the mare who reached out her muzzle toward the man, her nostrils flaring as she took in his smell. "She's very unusual as far as horses go. Intelligent. Be careful." He gave Ulundil a nod and a smile, then handed the reins over to him. The man took them and patted the mare's neck before leading her to a rail where he attached the reins to unsaddle her.

"Oh, that's fine Helgrim. I'll be careful. Where are you traveling from?"

"I originally came from Hammerfell, but my ship wrecked off Dawnstar's coast and so I earned enough money to buy this girl. She's been with me since then and we've come this far. I'm heading to Kynesgrove, my birthplace."

"Hammerfell? Shipwreck? Sounds like you've got quite the tale to tell. My wife Arivanya would love it if you could tell it to her. She's a bard, you see. She'd enjoy being able to tell your story through song." The elf unsaddled the mare and took some straw and began to brush the mare down.

"Interesting. I never thought my story was all that amazing. I'm just trying to get back home. I'll talk to her, though, if you want. I've got to visit the shops, but take care of my girl here and there'll be an extra ten gold for you."

"She spends her days at Candlehearth Hall singing for the customers. Enjoy the city!"

Helgrim nodded and let the man get back to his work. He gave Matilda one last pat on the rump and shifted the knapsack on his back and headed up the stonework that served as bridge and walkway up to the huge doors of Windhelm. He swallowed and passed by the guards on duty and entered the city. He first noticed the building right in front of him, with stairs on either side of it. He stopped and took it all in before moving onward. He would take more of an interest in the city once he made it to Kynesgrove and he could settle for a bit. Right now he wanted to find a store, or several stores, and sell his stuff. He walked up the stairs to the building that was in front of him. He saw the sign outside that read "Candlehearth Hall" and figured this was the inn where the stable owner's wife worked. If nothing else they could tell him where to sell his stuff. He went inside and was met with the warmth, so he stopped for a moment and soaked it up. He must have been getting used to the cold because he'd hardly felt it when it was blowing around outside. He walked up to the counter inside and sat down on a stool.

"This here's Candlehearth Hall. Great room's upstairs, an' there's a bed for rent on the ground floor. What can I do for you?"

"Hello. I'm Helgrim and I've just arrived in Windhelm. Could you maybe tell me where I can find a general merchant?"

"I'm Elda. Welcome to Windhelm. There are two in the city, but I don't really recommend either one personally. They're not Nords, you see. There's Sadri's Used Wares, run by Revyn Sadri who's a dark elf and then there's Niranye, a high elf who has a stall in the market. We have a couple specialized merchants, too. The only ones I can trust, however, are Oengul the blacksmith and Hillevi who manages a stall in the market. They're Nords, you see."

"Uh, thank you Elda. You've helped a lot. Excuse me." Helgrim thanked her and then walked away. He felt ashamed of his own race and he didn't even know this woman. It seemed she had a very strong hatred for anyone who was not a Nord. He wondered if it was just her or if it was the whole damn town. Leaving the inn, he began to walk down the streets to find this Sadri's Used Wares she'd mentioned. She had pointed when she'd spoken of the merchants in the city. It only took him thirty minutes to find the shop, tucked away in a cozy spot. He walked inside and was enveloped with the sense that each piece there had a story of its own. He loved it immediately.

"Good day to you, Revyn," Helgrim stated as he came to the counter, taking his backpack off and setting it on the counter beside him.

"You have me at a disadvantage, sir. You know my name, but I have not had the opportunity to learn yours."

"I'm Helgrim. I know your name only because the woman at Candlehearth mentioned you. Tell me, is it just her or does the entire city hate your race?"

"Unfortunately it is not just her, Helgrim. There are many in Windhelm and all of Skyrim, for that fact, that do not like the Dunmer. It appears, however, that you do not share that hatred."

"I prefer to be picky about those I hate. For now my hatred lies with the Empire and Thalmor, so you are quite safe." He chuckled and then started to lay out items that he had to sell. "I've come to unload some of these things that I picked up during my adventures."

"I see! Well, you've come to the right place. Let's see what we can do for you." Revyn began to look through the items.

Two hours later and several pounds lighter, he walked out of Sadri's shop with nearly a thousand gold pieces richer. Revyn had also suggested that he see Oengul to sell his weapons and armor to, so that was where Helgrim was heading now. He walked back through the alleyways and found his way back to Candlehearth Hall before passing it and making his way to the other side of the inn where the market was located. The blacksmith was here, as well as the alchemist and other smaller vendors. Since weapons and armor were the heaviest items at the moment, he decided he would unload what he could of those before going on. There was no "shop" really for the blacksmith, just a forge and a smelter. Simple, yet necessary. He walked up to the sturdy man and greeted him with a handshake.

"I'm Helgrim. I'm told that you're the best person to sell weapons and armor to."

"Welcome, Helgrim. I'm Oengul and you're right about that. A lot of folks say that Skyforge steel is the best, but I like to think that I have the best stuff. Let's see what you got and maybe I can help you out."

Helgrim smiled and liked him instantly. If he wasn't on his way home to Kynesgrove he would have stayed a little and worked with the man. They went through what he had and he got rid of most of the weapons he had picked up. That took a lot of weight off the pack and he nodded, patting the coin purse lightly. He now had almost five thousand gold pieces in the pouch that was bulging quite a bit. He would have to get a second one to put the excess into. He thanked Oengul and left his forge, heading next to The White Phial which was the alchemist's shop. He walked inside and witnessed the tail end of an argument between the owner and his apprentice. Something about a journey and the fact that the master was too old for it. Perhaps after he got settled into Kynesgrove he would come back and find out what that was all about. Right now he wanted to sell more stuff and lighten his load.

"Good afternoon. I'm Helgrim."

"Welcome to The White Phial, Helgrim. I'm Nurelion." The man, another high elf, coughed and wheezed, but remained at the counter, ready to take the sales. "Don't mind me, I've just got a cold. You know these drafty cities."

"Uh huh. Well, I've got some potions and whatnot that I'd like to get rid of. Thought I could get some gold for them. Would you like to take a look?"

"I would. Quintus, come and help me please." Nurelion coughed again as his assistant came over to help. Helgrim was tense as the Imperial came over, but since he was not a soldier, he didn't immediately try and kill the man. An hour later he carried with him another five hundred gold pieces and less stuff in his backpack. He was feeling quite flush with money and he also had two coin purses so that he wasn't carrying everything in one pouch anymore. Taking a breath, he looked at the other vendors and decided to see what else he could sell before heading back to the stables. Two hours later he carried a lot less items and now had just a little over seven thousand gold pieces. That was more than enough to get a house when he got to Kynesgrove and live nicely as well as send some home to his family and Eir.

He went back to the stables and paid Ulundil for the keeping of his mare and then went over to her and saddled her up himself. Then he just leaned on her and let out a steadying breath. He had dealt with a lot of anxiety this day after dealing with the few high elves that were in the city and the racist Nords. He didn't want to be as bad as those Nords in there, but he just couldn't help the feelings he had toward the Altmer race. It was as if it was deep in his blood to hate the high elves. The same feeling hit him whenever he saw an Imperial, even though he knew that not all Altmer and not all Imperials were Thalmor and Empire lackeys. He couldn't help it, though.

"Well, Tilly, let's get back on the road. We'll make Kynesgrove before dark. From what I hear it's not that long a ride." He patted the mare's neck and then mounted the horse and turned her. He had gotten the information from Revyn that if he just followed the road out of town and up the hill, he would find Kynesgrove easily enough. He hoped the dark elf was right about that because he was ready for a long rest. Where he didn't need to get up at dawn to continue his journey. Matilda whickered and listened to his cues when he asked for a trot, then a canter as they rode south. A half hour later he saw a few buildings ahead of him and slowed the mare to a trot, then a walk. He turned onto a small path and saw several people moving around.

"Do you suppose we made it, Tilly?" he asked the horse as he walked further. He dismounted and held Matilda's reins in one hand as he walked closer to the largest building he saw and stopped her, tying the reins on a rail. Off to the left he saw a garden and several tents set up. As he was standing there looking around, he heard the mare whicker behind him and turned to see a woman approaching. He walked up to her and offered her his hand.

"I'm Helgrim. Could you tell me if this is Kynesgrove?"

"Helgrim? Helgrim Frost-Blood?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"Aye. That's my name. How'd you know that?"

"Oh! Helgrim! It's me, Iddra!" she said and ignored his hand and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Iddra? So I made it. Thank the Divines!" he said and hugged her back. He hadn't seen her since he was two years old, but he felt the kinship between them. He never questioned it.

"Come on, cousin. You look like you could use a long bath and a nice soft bed."

"You ain't kidding, Iddra." Helgrim smiled and walked with her into the house, knowing that someone would take care of Matilda for him until he could get out there and take care of her himself. For now, he was looking forward to that bath and warm bed. Tomorrow would be soon enough for him to start looking for a place of his own. Tomorrow he could start earning his keep. Tomorrow he would start the next chapter in his life.