"I'm…so sorry. There...there's been an incident. It's your daughter."
There was a knock on the door at the silver-blood inn at 8:23am. Frabbi, the matriarch and often occasionally cantankerous wife of Kleppr, was busy sweeping the floor and believed the person to be her husband coming home to grovel at her feet and apologise for his actions the night before. Sadly, as she would soon learn, it wasn't.
"I'm coming! I'm coming! Gods, hold on!" she screeched, rushing towards the door. As she swung the door open a wave of fear washed over her when she saw who stood before her: the guards. One man, and one woman. "Oh Gods…oh no" she said aloud. "Something has happened to Kleppr" she thought to herself.
"Oh is...is everything alright?" she asked weakly, smiling to hide her obvious worry. "Do you mind if we come in my lady?" the female guard asked. "Well yes...yes of course. Come inside." She smiled and opened the door fully. As she closed the door she prayed in her mind to every single god and deity she could think of that Kleppr would be safe and well. She walked over towards the large fireplace at the back and motioned for them to sit. "Please, make yourself at home". They all sat down and Frabbi gently poked at the fire.
"Ma'am..." the male guard started, looking towards the female guard for guidance. "There's no easy way to say this". Her heart sank into her stomach and a tingling sensation made its way down her spin.
"No! Oh, Gods no! Please…tell me he's okay! He must be. Oh, this can't be happening..." Frabbi jumped up so fast she almost fainted as she held her face in her hands, trying to avoid the next few words. The guards gave each other a quick side glance, thoroughly confused. "Ma'am...were here to speak about your daughter" the female guard insisted, saying the last word ever so quietly.
Frabbi slowly looked up, something else now running through her. "But...Hroki?...your here about Hroki...?" Frabbi asked, puzzled. "Yes ma'am" the female guard continued, lowering her head, knowing how difficult the next few lines would be. "Somethings...somethings happened…my lady" she said, gulping heavily.
Frabbi sighed and smiled, "Look, here I am worrying about him and your here to tell me Hroki's got herself in trouble again. I must look like such a fool. Let me get you'se a drink and you can tell me what she's done this time". Frabbi went towards the bar but the female guard stopped her. "Ma'am I'm afraid it's not what you think. We aren't here because Hroki is in trouble. We…" she stopped. "Please…take a seat ma'am."
Frabbi sat back down, never breaking eye contact with the female guard, as her fear began to rise yet again. "What...what's this all about? Why are you here?". Frabbi's mind began to race as she thought about what could have happened to her golden child. Sure, Hroki was always a rebellious young woman but she was sure the girl had quietened over the last few months. If anything, she had become too quiet for Frabbi.
"There's no easy way to say this ma'am. I'm…so sorry. There's been an incident. It's you daughter" the female guard paused, letting the words hit Frabbi, but it didn't seem to occur.
"We found...we found a body that we believe is…we found a body which we…we believe the body is that of your daughter…of Hroki ma'am. We need you to identify the body...to be certain".
Frabbi sank into her seat, the world's lights shutting off and the sounds adjusting, the strange faces before her bearing the news which would change, no, destroy, her life forever. She had zoned out as soon as soon as she heard the word 'body'. How could this be? She was certain Hroki had come home. She was sure she was still in her room, still asleep in her bed. Her sleeping beauty. It couldn't be her, she taught. Foolish talk. It must be someone else. Someone else's daughter…someone else's blood. 'They're wrong', she taught. Must be.
"Ma'am? Ma'am?" Frabbi shot back to reality. "Ye-yes?" Frabbi tried to regain her composure, staring at them with confusion. "We need you to come and identify the body" the male guard started. "Oh...yes I see...w-when?" Frabbi asked with complete calmness. "Well…now, if it's okay. The sooner the better". Frabbi sat up straight in the chair, composed herself like her grandmother used to instruct her. "You'll never find a husband with that demeanour and manner Frabbi. You simply won't. A woman must appear as a lady, composed and poised at all times, to their gentlemanly potentials" the old hag's voice echoed in her mind.
"Ok...sooner the better. Sooner the better. Yes. I just...I need to check on..." Frabbi trailed off as she stood up but her legs collapsed before her. The female guard grabbed her shoulders to stop her. "Oh...thank you dear. I'm just feeling...a little lightheaded. I'll be fine in just a moment" Frabbi tried to stand again but had the same conclusion. "Just tell me where you need to go my lady. I'll help you" the woman smiled and guided Frabbi over to the bedrooms, to Hroki's bedroom.
"Thank you. You're very kind. I just need to-" Frabbi opened the door to find the room completely empty. Silence filled the tavern. Her mouth opened wide as if to say something but nothing emerged. "I was so sure..." it looked as if her legs would give away again. "Do you need help ma'am?" the female guard asked. "No... thank you. I just need to check Hreinn. Then we can go". Frabbi dragged and pulled herself towards Hreinn's room and found the door wide open. "Hreinn? Hreinn?" she sped around the room searching for her son. "I just don't understand. He was here earlier...he must have gone for a walk, I guess. Maybe…maybe he took Hroki!". The guards looked at one another. "Oh, that must be it" she smiled to herself but fidgeted with her hands, tracing circles around her thin wrists.
"Are you ready to go ma'am?" the male guard asked. Frabbi threw out her arms "Well, I guess so. This is ridiculous but if you'se insist".
The rain was still pouring down and it only seemed to be getting heavier, as if the rain would turn to a flood that would drown the inhabitants. She was brought inside the understone keep and to the Hall of the Dead. Each step made her more frightened, more agitated. Brother Verulus was standing outside. His expression said it all, but Frabbi couldn't accept that. It had to be a mistake. It was a mistake, she convinced herself.
"Is everything erm…ready?" the male guard asked. "Almost I just need to make a few more preparations. Would you mind helping?" the male guard nodded and Verulus stepped back into the Hall of the Dead with the male guard following after. Minutes past and Frabbi began pacing back and forth. The female guard stood watching her. She thought of things to say but none of them felt right. How could they? The woman's daughter might be dead. The last thing she wants to hear is "Dreadful weather isn't it?". Frabbi was the first to break the awkward silence moments later. "How long have you been here?" she inquired. "Excuse me ma'am?". "I've never seen you in the tavern...how long have you been here?" Frabbi repeated sounding as if she didn't really want to know, as if it was a sort of chore, a habit she acquired from running an inn. "Oh...only about three or four weeks now...I guess. I don't drink…" the guard smiled. "Good...that's good, you shouldn't. No... you shouldn't. It's a bad habit you know. I didn't drink...not...not until I met Kleppr. He likes his drink" Frabbi sounded bitter although it was not secret that Frabbi and Kleppr argued.
"You're pretty. I used to be pretty…y'know. Two children and running a tavern can ruin that". Frabbi smiled warmly as she stopped pacing and stood still. "It was Kleppr's idea...running a tavern. Not mine, never mine. Don't ever let a man control your future. It only leads to sorrow and pain". The male guard came back outside. "We're ready" he said. "Ok...are you ready my lady?". Frabbi tried to control her breathing, flattened her dress, and raised her head. 'A woman must appear as a lady, composed and poised at all times'. She inhaled and exhaled another breath.
"I'm ready".
The hall of the dead was icy cold. Everyone feared this place partly because they knew they would end up there one day but mainly because of its presence. It felt like death. There was something about it, an unescapable feeling of terror and dread.
It all just added to Frabbi's already shaky nerves. She turned the corner and Verulus stood only feet away. Her eyes met with his, and followed them down to what stood in front of him. A slab. And on that slab...
"No no no no no no no NOOOOOOOO!" Frabbi slumped to her knees as a flood of endless tears erupted from her eyes. "My baby! Oh, my sweet baby girl!".
Frabbi just wanted to crumble, to fade away into nothingness. Her heart felt like someone had just took a hammer and shattered it into a hundred tiny different pieces, and then set them alight.
"Why...b-but why her?...she was so innocent...so pure!...Why did it have to be her! Gods! Why did it have to be my Hroki…" Frabbi broke into an uncontrollable and unrelenting eruption of tears, streaming down her face and onto the unforgiving and indifferent ground below. Despite the guards trying to console her, nothing could stop her pain. Her grief. Her mourning and utter sadness. How could the daughter she loved, the daughter she taught to walk, the daughter she helped learn to read, the daughter she cradled in her arms and told that she would always protect - be dead, on a cold slab, non-existent…simply nothingness.
The mother's cries could be heard throughout Markarth. Crowds gathered outside wandering what terrible tragedy had befallen the hold. But they never could have guessed what had transpired. Hroki lay dead and her killer free, unpunished. Life in Skyrim was often hard, so it was no surprise Skyrim had been called a "harsh and dangerous land" by many. There was so much pain and suffering. But there was also joy. For every cloud had its rainbow.
As Betrid Silver-Blood stood outside, playing with her jewel rings, wandering like everyone else what had happened, a strange sickness suddenly came upon her. She was forced to dash back inside the treasury house but only made it several feet before she projectile vomited all over the expensive rug she had bought in High Rock. "Oh dear, are you okay?" Nana kindly inquired, rubbing her arm. "None of your business your nosy old hag" Betrid snapped, snapping her dainty hand away.
"Oh...you do look very peaked…" Nana continued. "I'm sick...that's all there is to it. Just…a small fever" Betrid asserted.
Nana went back to sweeping. "Could be that...or…" Nana smiled, turning away from Betrid. "Or what?" Betrid snarled at the woman's back.
"Or…" Nana turned to face her. "Or you could be pregnant my dear" Nana looked up from the floor smiling, a satisfied grin. Betrid felt a burning sensation and energy drain from her body. "Congratulations!" Nana beamed, clapping happily.
Betrid vomited again.