Questions
What must I look like to him? What do I look like to my 16 year old son, who has only seen me angry twice. Here I am, stood behind bars with a hardened expression. I try to smile warmly but I can't smile at all.
"What happened?"
"Ulfric Stormcloak is an insensitive bastard. He accused me of joining him and Tullis believes him."
"I don't even need to ask. I know you. Listen, I want to be married to Minette. We can hold the wedding off until you are released if you want but it is my wish for you to know." I press my hand against the bars.
"Congratulations, son. I am unbelievably proud of you. Listen, do me a favour. I want you to never join the Dark Brotherhood or the Thieves' Guild. Ever. No matter what they might offer you. Is that understood?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Don't say that like a goodbye. You will not die."
"Tullius will question me and I will be released. Worry not, my son. As soon as I'm released, you can marry Minette." I press both hands against the bars and he does the same.
"Is it true? Are you really a Stormcloak?"
"No. The Stormcloaks are pathetic, ignorant, racist Nords that will stop at nothing to ruin Skyrim. Ulfric deceived me into staying in Windhelm for longer than I'd anticipated and sent a letter saying that I had betrayed the Empire."
"Mother, there is a weakness in that wall over there, you could use it to your advantage." He whispers. "I know Kodlak, I've been waiting for a distraction." He nods and starts to leave. I back away from the bars and stand near the weaker part of the wall. He inhales sharply a few times and then faints. The guard rushes out the door to get help and I break the wall down, grabbing my gear and then I reseal it so nobody suspects a thing. Then I go to make sure that Kodlak isn't hurt and he seems fine. I slip into the shadows by the door and wait for the guard to return. Using my aura whisper shout I can tell that there is only one of them. When he enters I stand behind him and snap his neck, killing him. I change into his armour and sling Kodlak over my arm. Fully utilizing the disguise, I get out of the castle, pretending to take him home. After a few minutes he wakes up and finds me in my Brotherhood armour.
"Why?"
"It's time for us to move again. I need you to marry Minette and then either we all move or I move and you stay here."
"I'll bring Minette here." He leaves quickly, leaving me with Wuuthrad. My old Dark Brotherhood armour is a rather tight fit but it still works. Maybe we should go back to Whiterun. The Brotherhood have settled their scores and Cicero lies dead. That is where I will go. The real question is if Kodlak and Minette will come too.
"Niki, you're alive."
"Sorex, how did you get in here?" I don't attempt to hide my irritation.
"I came with my sister." Behind him, Minette is stood close to my son.
"Kod and I wish to have you both present at the wedding. Sorex will hand me over."I exhale a sigh of resignation.
"We need to go to a priest." Kodlak states simply.
In Whiterun, one week later.
"Oh come on, you've had a week to do all of that. Kodlak Steelheart put your clothes on this second!"
"This is why I need a new home." Kod sighs in the back of the carriage. I've unpacked everything into my new home and Minette has carried their few possessions into Breezehome, which has been rebuilt while we were away. It seems more appropriate that Kodlak should move into Breezehome, he was born and raised in this city and in that house. I was not. Besides, if I moved back in there then the memories of Hadvar would be painful.
As we enter the large gates of the old city, crowds gather to meet us. The Gray-Manes and Battle-Borns have formed a truce since the Civil War ended and so Jon and Olfina married recently, bringing the two families even closer together. I manage to spot Mila in the background. When she sees Kodlak and Minette, she runs away. I head straight for the Bannered Mare. I need a drink.
After watching his mother disappear for a drink, getting distracted and becoming immersed in deep conversation with Carlotta on the way, Kodlak carries his wife into Breezehome. This time the fire is behind a small cage and there are less bedrooms, just two upstairs. Minette starts to rub her hand along his back, he understands what she wants. Unfortunately, a knock on the door interrupts the couple before they can get very far. Kod sighs and opens the door to none other than Mila Valentia.
"Kodlak, I am here to both apologise for not telling you of my engagement and to demand an apology for not telling me of yours."
"Apology accepted. I am sorry also for whatever it was that I did wrong."
"Do I get to meet her then? Come now Kodlak, you can't hide your wife from your friend forever." Mila ruffles his hair and Kod cusses under his breath at her. She walks in confidently, ready to face whoever may have married her closest friend. Mila ends up face to face with Minette.
"Oh. Who is this, Kod?"
"My name is Mila Battle-Born. Pleasure to meet you." Minette seems to start panicking when she hears her name. She shoots Kodlak a nervous glance.
"Minette Steelheart, as I'm sure you know by now." The older girl laughs anxiously, silently begging for her husband to intervene.
"So Mila, Minette here is just cooking us some dinner and unless you've brought the food for yourself, we can't afford to feed you. We can talk tomorrow if you wish but we'd like to get settled in first."
"Of course, my old friend. We can speak tomorrow." Mila nods her head and leaves quickly. Kod and Minette exhale a deep sigh of relief as the door closes.
Mila herself feels like bursting into tears. Why couldn't her life have just gone as she'd planned when she was younger? She had everything planned out, she was going to marry Kodlak, have children after 4 years of marriage, get enough money for a nice house in Cyrodiil and then leave with their family once Niki had passed on. Now she is stuck with a man that refuses to leave Whiterun, never mind Skyrim and she has to sit by and watch Kodlak have the family that she has always dreamt of them having.
The 18 year old girl runs back to her husband, fighting back tears. However, Kodlak didn't know what was going on outside. Maybe if he did, then he wouldn't be seducing Minette. Maybe.
Niki's P.O.V
"Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptised in blood and fear." The words echo through my mind endlessly, taunting me. Mocking me. "Kill him. Kill Hadvar for what he did to me." That voice is familiar. Who is it? "For what he did to us." I lurch upwards, a pathetic squeak of a scream rolling off my tongue. I know that voice. Why did the Night Mother show me this? A knock on my door makes me jump, but not enough to get a sound out of me. I stealthily make my way to the door, keeping my dagger in my belt. Opening the door, I let out a sigh of relief to see a courier stood at the door.
"Niki Steelheart?"
"The one and only. What news do you have for me?"
"Three letters and some money. Popular." I laugh along with the young man before me. He must be exhausted, running around delivering letters all day. I take the letters and nod my head gratefully. Then I sit in my chair and light a candle, opening up the first letter.
Dear Niki,
It's so wonderful to hear from you again!
I'll start working on finding out who wanted Hadvar dead right away.
Between us we should make some progress.
How is your son?
Is he as stubborn as you or has he got a while to go yet?
Write back soon. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
~Babette
I'll write back later. Good to hear from Babette anyway. Next letter.
Niki,
In the name of Jarl Elisif The Fair, it is with great regret that we inform you of Pantea Ateia's death.
The deceased has bequeathed unto you a measure of inheritance in the amount of 100 gold pieces.
The Jarl's court has levied an amount of 20 gold pieces from the sum, as the lawfully and honorably due tax.
The remainder has been commended unto the care of a trusted courier for deliverance.
While all of the Jarl's court grieves with you on this day, we rejoice in the knowledge that the deceased was in possession of dear friends and wealth to communicate unto them.
May this lawfully bestowed inheritance prove as a reminder of your enduring faith in one another, and of the Jarl's beneficence accorded unto you both.
Her funeral will take place next week and it will be at the Solitude hall of the dead.
This letter requires a little bit more thought. How could Pantea die when I was only talking to her a week ago? Tears begin to fall to the page and I fold the letter in half. Then I grab the only remaining unopened letter and go upstairs to my bedroom, blowing out the candle as I go. I lie on my bed, running my fingers through my hair with stress. Pantea was the closest I had to a friend when I was young. She was the only person who made me consider leaving the Brotherhood to come back to Solitude. Now she's gone. I go downstairs again and get a drink of Argonian Ale. Brenuin owed me one and he's managed to buy me a bottle out of his pay. Some fool at the stables gave him a job. The strength of the alcohol almost makes me fall backwards out of surprise. How does anyone stomach this? Nonetheless, I continue to drink away my sorrows until I have no more ale left. Then I decide to go and see Carlotta. She always had potions that could heal any kind of alcohol related ailment.
I stumble randomly down the street, falling over often. When I finally reach the tiny house in the suburbs, I throw myself at the door a few times until Carlotta opens it.
"Niki? What are you... Oh Divines!" She holds a bucket in front of me before I can ruin her clothes. I then collapse on her. "For crying out loud Niki. I thought you'd know better than to get piss-blind drunk at your age. Come in then..."
House of Battle-Born clan...
Mila lies with her face buried in Lars' chest. He doesn't normally respond to her affections after sex. He simply lies there, doing nothing. Tonight, however seemed to be different; he runs his fingers through her hair a few times and she starts to drift off to sleep.
"Mila. I'm glad you chose the right man for you instead of that Kod guy. Look at him now, he's always out training and he wouldn't have the time to spend with you. He wouldn't appreciate you like I would." She glares at the wall, facing away from his searching eyes.
"Lars don't..."
"Why not? He left you with no company but your mother? He completely ditched you for that other girl and left Whiterun at the first sign of danger. What kind of a man-"
"What kind of a man does what? Respect his mother? Try not to get killed? Wait until the woman YOU wanted to marry was married before eventually moving on to someone else grudgingly. Do not talk about Kodlak Steelheart that way. He is more of a man than you are." Lars sits up, he has his father's fury when something doesn't go his way.
"He is a puny little milk-drinker."
"That is most certainly ironic coming from you! You NEVER stuck up for yourself as a child. In fact, wasn't it Niki that stood up for you? You know, Kod's mother. Do not judge him Lars because you are so much worse."
"Then why did you marry me? Why not marry him instead of me, the 'milk-drinker'? What did I do to make you marry me that he couldn't have done?"
"I'm good enough for you. Kodlak is too good for me. He would never have been satisfied with me..." Lars gets up and leaves furiously. Mila curls up into a ball and starts to cry. Jon enters a few moments later as the most sympathetic Battle-Born and hugs his niece gently.
"I understand, Mila. More than you would ever like to know."