Chapter 4
He could hear the sounds of Whiterun already and they hadn't even made it to the gates yet. He knew this place would play havoc with his senses. It was something he wasn't looking forward to.
"Jarl Balgruuf, what are you doing out here?" Someone asked. Mikael waited for answer from the Jarl, but there was none forth coming. "I'm sorry my Jarl, I shouldn't have asked." The same guard muttered. Mikael could feel the air was thick with tension and uncertainty. He heard the shifting of boots, and figured it out, or he hoped he figured out. They thought he was Balgruuf.
"I'm not Balgruuf," Mikael announced, loudly so everyone else wouldn't make the same mistake. He heard the shifting of heavy doors and knew the gates were being opened for them. He hoped it was for them and not something else.
He listened as Hadvar took the first few steps and continued walking. Mikael quickly caught up to him, listening to his footsteps, but there were too many other footsteps, some making the same ting of metal his did, other were softer padded. His senses were going haywire with all of the sounds. He knew Hadvar's steps now, but still couldn't decipher them from others there was just too many similar sounds.
"Hadvar?" he called softly, hoping no one near them had heard the desperation in his voice. He was truly lost right now. He didn't know this city. Right now he felt fear, and hated it. He hated admitting that he needed help.
He felt a heavy hand placed on his shoulder, he fought not to jump, "Relax, I am right beside you," Hadvar whispered. Mikaek sighed in relief. He followed the large body beside him, it was so much easier this way. Just as long as there was no one else has large as Hadvar he would be fine.
He almost stumbled on the first step leading up to the inn. He didn't say a word as Hadvar caught his arm. "So, I guess you'll be heading soon," Mikael murmured. Silently he prayed this man wasn't leaving anytime soon. He hoped his voice didn't show his desperation, that was the last thing he wanted.
"Nope, not until I have my new orders. I am to stay by your side all the time, so General Tullius ordered," Hadvar answered, shrugging his shoulder and then rolled his eyes when he remembered that Mikael couldn't see the action.
Mikael stepped through the door, following close to the large nord in front of him. He heard the chatter of many people stop, dead silence descended. He shifted nervously in place as he felt the tension in the inn rise exponentially.
"My Jarl, I am surprised Irileth let you out of Dragonsreach," one man announced jovially.
"I'm not the Jarl," Mikael answered calmly.
"Sure, sure, if that's the way you want it," Another said with a chuckle.
"I am not Balgruuf," Mikael snarled. "I don't know the Jarl." Once more silence descended this time it was a very uneasy silence. He felt Hadvar back up until he bumped against him. His body went on alert, all his sense was attuned to movement nearby.
"Mikael, we need to leave," Hadvar stated as some of the patrons shifted nervously.
"So what you're saying we can't stay in Whiterun?" Mikael hissed with annoyance.
"It looks that way," Hadvar muttered. "Just how much do you look like the Jarl here?"
"How in Oblivion am I supposed to know that when I can't see a damn thing," Mikael snarled as he placed his hand on the door behind him. Slowly he pushed it open and wondered if they would be able to leave Whiterun. From the way everyone was acting he wasn't too sure of that.
"Knock it off, all of you. He's a traveller, leave him be," A female voice ordered loudly that Mikael's ears were ringing.
"Aye, I agree, a man should be able to drink where he wants, don't matter who he is or looks like," Another man stated this one with a heavy accent.
"Hadvar, find us a table," Mikael said, and once more he was following the man inside. He ignored the gasps as he walked through the room. The tension that had been there was gone now, but for how long he wasn't sure.
Mikael stopped when he heard someone whisper, "Go get Irileth, I think she should know about this." He almost groaned.
"So I take it by that order, I shouldn't request a room for the night?" he inquired sarcastically to the person who issued the order.
He heard the female who spoke swallow thickly and smirked.
"What can I get you?" another female asked.
"Whatever is cooking and two bottles of mead to start," Mikael said, leaning back in his the chair he had taken over.
~oooooooooooooooooooooooo~
Balgruuf lounged back in his throne, keeping silent as the man standing before him said his piece. He had to admit, when the man first walked in he hadn't been expecting this. He had expected there to be a large brawl at the inn and they needed him to sooth the people. But that wasn't what had come out of this man's mouth at all. It seemed someone entered his city, looking a lot like him that it was making his people uneasy. He was shocked to hear that someone resembled him that much, but that his people would be uneasy made no sense. They shouldn't really be bothered about it unless this man was trying to impersonate him, which has been stated that he wasn't. His curiosity was peaked, he was tempted to go down there and meet this man in person, but he knew Irileth would have a stroke at that idea. The only other option was to wave it away and tell the man not to worry. He was about to do that but something nagged at him, like some lost memory.
"Where is he now?" Balgruuf asked, narrowing his eyes at the man. Still something nagged him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He didn't know what it was,
"Balgruuf, do you think it could be Mikael?" Hrongar asked quietly, or so he thought until they heard a gasp from the man standing before them.
"That's what the other man called him," the man blurted out.
Balgruuf jumped to his feet, "No it can't be…" he whispered hoarsely. He stared at Hrongar unable to believe what he had heard.
Without another word he walked swiftly out of Dragonsreach and headed down to the inn with Irileth and Hrongar hot on his heels.
"Who is Mikael?" Irileth asked urgently as they walked swiftly. She kept her scowl firmly in place, scaring away any person who thought to speak with the Jarl.
"Our youngest brother, he was kidnapped when he was just a babe," Balgruuf answered quickly. He stopped at the door of the inn, unsure what he should do. He didn't even know his brother, he was positive his brother didn't know about him.
Taking a fortifying breath he walked into the inn and silence descended. He watched the reaction of his people closely, their heads swung towards him and then towards a man that sat in the corner with his back towards him. He noticed his companion had imperial armor on and wondered if his brother had joined the army.
Balgruuf eyes widened when he saw the other man. He had white eyes, golden blond hair, and…. And it could be no one else, but his brother. He looked too much like father to be anyone else, but he had mother's dark complexion, something him and Hrongar never inherited.
"Mikael?" Balgruuf called softly, unsure if this was the right thing to do. He watched as the man stood. He had their mother's height, and his father build. He was a large man, well built, larger than Hrongar, but he only stood to his chin.
He bit back a gasp when he realized that Mikael was blind. He had thought the bleached eyeswas from over use of magic, but that wasn't so. He was blind. He figured that out when the man wouldn't let his chair go, and one hand slightly held out in front of him, searching for obstacles.
"And you are?" Mikael asked civilly, not liking this disadvantage.
"I'm Balgruuf the Greater, Jarl of Whiterun," Balgruuf stated, waiting for recognition.
"Ahh, I see. You heard someone was here that looked like you and you came to investigate. I can tell you now, I didn't come here about blood relations, I came here back to my homeland since our mother and brother is dead. I'll leave you in peace if you will do the same," Mikael stated simply and took a seat once more.
"I know our mother is dead. She died a few months after you went missing," Balgruuf snapped ignoring the patrons.
"Missing? Is that what it is called when our father kicks a baby and his wife out for bedding another? Funny, I wouldn't quite call that missing," Mikael snorted with amusement.
"I don't know what lies you have been told, but your mother died after you were stolen from your room!" Balgruuf shouted.
"Don't. I won't hear any more of your lies. My mother died by Marauders," Mikael snapped.
"The woman who raised you was not your mother!" Balgruuf stated coldly.
"My Jarl, this isn't the place. Let's get him and his friend up to Dragonsreach where it will be a lot more private," Irileth whispered urgently as the crowd watched avidly. People that hadn't been here had entered the inn and now it was packed full, fuller than she had ever seen it.
"My Jarl, if I could make a suggestion?" Hadvar ventured tentatively.
"What's your suggestion soldier?" Balgruuf asked, his ire still up.
"Mikael stay here for a few moments to cool down, and I'll lead him up to dragonsreach once he is finished his next bottle of mead?" Hadvar swallowed nervously, when both men stiffened.
"I think that would be good," Balgruuf said calmly and turned to leave. His eyes narrowed at all the patrons daring them to say anything.
~oooooooooooooooooooooooooo~
He almost stumbled when they came up to the steps leading to the castle. If Hadvar hadn't placed a hand on his shoulder, he would have been on his ass, and that would have been too embarrassing for words. Slowly they made their way up the umpteen dozen steps, the only place he knew that had more steps was going to the Greybeards or so his parents told him.
Mikael sighed in relief when they reached the top. He could feel the wind strongly here, the smells of the city stronger because of the wind. He could hear the activity below in the main part of the city. Down to his left while facing the sounds he heard metal on metal clanging, also a hammer hitting metal nearby.
They both walked through the large doors. How did he know they were large? By Hadvar's comment that the doors must be large enough to haul a dragon through, whether that was true or not, he hoped to never find out.
Mikael listened for a moment at the doors. He heard gasps from the guards nearby and their nervous shifting. He heard the quiet murmurs of the court that hadn't seen them yet. Above all that he heard his brother's voice. That voice he could never forget since their meeting at the inn, accusing his parents of stealing him. He couldn't believe the audacity of the man stating that the woman he had know all his life wasn't his mother. For that slur alone he wanted the man dead, but that wasn't to be.
"So you finally shown, now about the woman who you called mother…" Balgruuf went to continue, but was abruptly cut off.
"I did not come here to talk about our parentage, there is more important matters to discuss," Mikael hissed in annoyance
"Then why are you here?" Balgruuf asked tiredly. He should have known as soon as the man told him of his mother that he would be after money.
"Helgen has been attacked by a dragon. It lays in cinders now and Riverwood is calling for aide from their Jarl," Mikael stated coldly.
"Please don't tell me you were at Helgen," Balgruuf said as he took a seat heavily. A sigh of regret leaving him that his brother had been put through that.
"You can keep the concern out of your voice, I don't buy it," Mikael spat belligerently. "I would suggest you take care of Riverwood instead."
"And your friend is that where met him?" Balgruuf asked turning his attention to Hadvar.
"I was ordered to accompany Mikael until General Tullius gives me further orders," Hadvar answered quietly.
"I thank you for keeping my brother safe in these dangerous lands," Balgruuf murmured, glad that Mikael had someone to protect him. Being blind limited him to a lot of things.
Balgruuf sat there thoughtfully as an idea came to him. Mikael was taken from there family once and he didn't want that happening again. The safest place for the man was here at Dragonsreach. He glanced at the follower his brother had right now and made up his mind. With this follower his brother would be stuck within the castle always, plus there was a side benefit, he could keep an eye on the man, see if he was reliable or if he was actually here to gain money from him.
"It was no trouble, your brother is a good fighter," Hadvar said with a grin.
"It's nice of you to say so, but we both know he's blind," Balgruuf said sharply, glaring at the man for his audacity. "Mikael, you'll be staying here at Dragonsreach and it is not up for debate. I'll be sending word to General Tulius that you've done your job."
"What?" Mikael shouted horrified. "I don't think so! I will not stay in the place where I was shunned from!" he bit out scathingly.
"Enough of this, you will stay here!" Balgruuf thundered.
"No, you only rule Whiterun hold, you don't rule the other holds," Mikael snapped as he grabbed his pack, slinging it over his shoulder. He stalked towards where he thought the doors were. He heard Hadvar move quickly to catch up to him and sighed in relief when the man nudged his shoulder lightly, changing his direction slightly. He ignored his brother's shout for him to stop. He only stopped when one of the guards stopped him.
"The Jarl told you to stop," the guard warned.
"I don't give a shit. Now either you let me pass or I will make you," Mikael hissed angrily dropping his pack to the floor and allowing his magic to light his hands.
He heard the guard scoff and stepped closer to him.
"ENOUGH!" Balgruuf voice thundered through the room. "Mikael stay here for a few days, if you wish to leave then you may," he said sullenly. Then he turned lethal eyes to his guards, "you raise your sword to him again I will have you heads."
"Three days I'll stay, but if once, you tell me that my family wasn't my family, or slur my mother, I will leave here and never return," Mikael stated coldly.
"Agreed," Balgruuf muttered with a defeated sigh.
"Good, then have us shown to our rooms," Mikael ordered.
Hrongar stood in a dark corner snickering softly so he wasn't overheard. He knew without a doubt that this was their brother. He didn't care who the kid believe was his mother. Of course he didn't believe them, but that didn't matter. But what did matter as far as he was concerned this man was so much like Balgruuf that Dragonsreach just got very interesting. He stood like Balgruuf, talked like him, gave orders like him. The only difference was the sound of their voice. Mikael didn't have their accent, but that was to be expected. He had the accent from the higher ups of the Imperial city. It was easy to see whoever had stolen his brother has raised him well. They had given him an education, that was easy to see. The boy had the airs of the upper class.
He knew Whiterun was already gossiping, the maids were already talking. He shook his head in amusement and decided to spend more time in the castle instead of the balcony to see the fireworks.
"Proventius, place Mikael in the family wing," Balgruuf ordered.
"My Jarl the only room available is your late wife's room," Proventius said uncertainly.
"Then place him there. I am not taking another wife anytime soon," Balgruuf growled his frustrations.
"But my Jarl…" The steward was quickly cut off before having a chance to finish his sentence.
"I will not be taking a wife! Now show Mikael to his room," Balgruuf nearly shouted.
Mikael sighed and followed the retreating footsteps. He glared at the first step that had tripped him up. Once again, Hadvar had stopped him from making a complete ass of himself. "I can't believe how thick headed he is," Mikael spat as they entered his room.
"Mikael, he isn't that much different than you are. Go figure," Hadvar mocked.
"Keep it up and you'll be sleeping on the floor," Mikael grumbled.
He heard Hadvar chuckled and shook his head in annoyance. He should have just left and not stayed here. It would have been best. He wondered what rules his dear brother was going to lay down tomorrow.
