~ Chapter 4 ~
An Onion a Day...
Entry 5 ~
27th Last Seed
Harvest time!
I couldn't even sleep last night. We got to Whiterun and camped outside with a few others, including some old friends!
Ri'saad and Eda gave each other a hard time, but I think they're okay now. They're all enjoying some of Eda's mead, at least, and I can hear them laughing.
I told Ri'saad that Eda was going to teach me magic. She wasn't too happy about it but didn't say anything. I saw it on her face though.
But he just said, 'Wise Khajiit once told this one, 'Ri'saad is very practical. He has no need for mysticism'.'
I don't understand what that means, but it seemed wise, so I'm jotting it down in the back of this journal.
One of the other merchants saw my pictures and asked for a sketch.
When I was done, he gave me a couple coins for it!
He was so nice, fluffy too. Huge. Like six feet tall and so wide I couldn't even get my arms around his shoulders. Let me pat his head. They all laughed.
We had so much fun.
I really need to sleep. Just …
I just can't
*Several attempts are made at Ri'saads name. These are all crossed out, showing a vague understanding of Khajiiti names.
Reshad, Reeshaad, Re'shaed, Ri'shaad
Margin doodles include some Khajiit.
The facing page includes a full portrait, sketchy. Next page is neatly cut out.
No sign-off. The last sentence is smudged.*
"Right," Eda said, leaning on her makeshift stall. "You have your pack?"
"Got it," Luz said, patting the satchel in front of her. It was a bit large and awkward, but it was easier to reach into.
"And your lockbox?"
"You mean this?" Luz held up a small jar with a broken lid.
Eda gave her a look and ignored her apprentice's judgemental eyebrow. "The sooner you sell everything in that bag, the sooner you can enjoy the festival. Just come back here first. You have 'easy mark' just…" she gestured wildly at Luz, who gave herself a once over.
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Yes. That's my point."
"Don't worry, Eda," Luz said, giving her a salute - a fist to her chest and a short nod. "I won't let you down."
Eda's hand whipped over the stall and grabbed her wrist. "Don't…"
"Wha- I'm… sorry, Eda. I didn't-"
"Luz, I don't give a lich's wrinkled right arse cheek, but some people around here do. Just… be careful."
"Isn't Whiterun neutral still?"
"Yes," Eda said, letting go, a pang of guilt shooting through her stomach, seeing a red mark on Luz's wrist, slight scraps from her long nails. "And that's the worst. Idiots from both sides here. Two whole families even. Just don't want you starting something." She forced a smile. "Cuts into my profits."
Luz smiled back, letting go of her wrist and adjusting her pack again. "Don't worry. I got this."
Eda watched the young woman speed walk up the cobbled road, her cheerful voice already peeling out to those she passed, offering potions and mead samples.
"She is a special one, yes?"
Eda glowered at Ri'saad as he sidled up to her stall. The Khajiit did not wilt under her gaze as she wanted, but she didn't give up trying. "She is."
"This one spoke to her much while we traveled across the mountains. Whole life story."
"I don't doubt it." Eda leaned on her counter. "Can I offer you a bottle of mead in these trying times, Ri'saad? Or are you here to just get in the way of my customers?"
The Khajiit gave his too-large smile and bowed. "Just… she is a kind soul. Deeply kind. This land is harsh. Ri'saad was a kind and charitable soul before the cold winds of Skyrim beat it from his heart."
"I'll bet."
"Merely… as a friend," Ri'saad said, gesturing placating hands with well-filed claws. "The Lady of Owls should know… her apprentice's birthday."
Eda's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're on about, cat."
"Secunda and Masser are important," Ri'saad said. "Mystics of this one's people draw power and prophecy from them. They wax and wane, and align to darken days of happiness and sunshine."
Eda growled.
Ri'saad bowed again. "Auspicious, isn't it? For her's to fall on the cusp of The Tower, and The Atronach? Such signs for an aspiring mage. She is eighteen. According to Ri'saad's moons calendar, her day was a Dark Moon Day."
"What are you getting at?"
"Ri'saad is merely looking out for a little soul." His smile faded, his hands clasped in front of him. "All the power of The Golem, dammed behind the doors of The Tower. This one merely hopes her skin is blessed."
"You don't think she can learn magic?"
"This one said no thing. But… one should not inspire hope, only to then destroy it. Such things turn souls black, Lady of Owls."
"I'll show you a black soul," Eda said, rolling up her sleeve. "Your own. If you don't go away."
Ri'saad held up his hands and backed away. "This one understands. You are the Lady of Owls. Most powerful witch in all of Skyrim. Surely you can teach a humble, common girl magic. Please, take this how it was meant. A kindness."
And with that, he turned, cloak roiling after him in a stiff gust, leaving Eda fuming at her stall.
"Get your Honey Hoot! Get it here," Luz called, hopping up on a few steps inside the main gates, waving as a small stream of people moved by, heading to or from the market with goods to sell, or goods bought.
She'd never been one to showboat, but she was quite agile and coordinated. She had always kept the festivals in Cropsford lively.
Though she wasn't allowed to juggle torches anymore.
Taking out a three apples, an onion, and a head of garlic, she started to juggle them.
"If you stop me to buy something, I'll take a bite of the first thing I catch! Come on and try mead and potions, brewed by the most powerful witch in Skyrim!"
She caught the eye of a hulking bear of a man, black beard and polished armor, soot over his forearms, holding a much slimmer but no less brawny Redguard woman by the waist.
"What about you sir? A bottle of mead for a lucky lady?"
"Yeah," she said, elbowing the man in the ribs. "Where's my mead you Ulfberth?"
The giant of a man laughed and dragged his wife over to Luz's perch. "Adrianne just wants to see you eat the onion," he said, taking out a coin pouch.
Luz reached up and caught… an apple.
Quickly piling the rest into her arms as they came, she rolled it up her other arm and caught it with her teeth, then bowed.
While the woman laughed heartily, the man swore good-naturedly and tossed a few coins up to Luz. "Damn, girl. That's impressive."
It took a few more passers-by before Luz's gamble fell short.
As tears streamed from her eyes as she handed two bottles and a potion to someone she could barely see, she spit out the chunk of onion - skin and all - and sat down on the barrel that was her platform.
Adrianne, laughing, approached her, handing Luz a cloth.
"Honestly thought you'd rigged it," she said, Luz wiping at her eyes. "Or did you just mess up?"
"No, ma'am," Luz choked, holding the rag to her streaming eyes. "Though I didn't think Skyrim onions were so strong. Thank you."
"No problem," Adrianne said, still chuckling. "I owe Ulfberth another one of your meads though, if you've any left."
"Of course," Luz said, squinting through her drying tears and digging into the bag. "Just give me a second."
She felt more than saw Adrianne stumble, felt the barrel rock, and her balance fail her.
She crashed to the ground, rolling to protect the bag itself, bouncing off the cobblestones.
Someone rushed by her, and Luz heard Adrianne call out after someone as strong hands gripped her and righted her.
"Are you okay?" Ulfberth asked, dusting Luz off with a gentility she hadn't expected from him - though it was still strong enough to make her legs buckle.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine… wait-"
Horrid assumptions stole into Luz's mind and she quickly opened the bag, checking the contents.
The jar - filled with golden Septims - was gone.
"No." Luz snapped the bag shut and looked up, just as she saw a flicker of a small child push into the dense market crowd. "Hey! Thief!"
She shoved her bag into Ulfberth's hands and dashed off, waving behind her. "Sorry, can you please hold that!"
Knowing she wouldn't find the little thief from inside the crowd, Luz hopped the low wall and kicked off the barrel next to the wood pile, scrambling up onto the thatched roof of the shop.
A small disturbance in the crowd made her follow a shock of blonde hair through the middle, heading to the inn on the far side.
"Oi!" Luz jumped as a pair of hold guards ran up from the other side. "Get off of that roof."
"Sorry," she said, pointing after the blonde thief. "But he stole my coin jar."
One guard followed her finger, the other grabbed for her.
"What?"
"Get down, you little guttersnipe."
A throng of voices started up at the guards, including Adrianne who had followed Luz close behind.
As the ground below her devolved into a chaos of clamoring accusations, Luz looked towards the inn. She couldn't see the shock of hair anymore.
The guards weren't going to be any help. She had to do this herself.
Without waiting to think, Luz jumped off the awning and landed on the wall of the well in the center of the market. She slipped and tumbled, catching herself in a run as she made for the inn.
She knew the door hadn't opened - there wasn't enough time for the little thief to have opened and shut such a size and heft of door in that little time.
Instead, she cut around the building to the right. The left side path led around the building, but ultimately into the wall of the second tier of Whiterun. There was nowhere for a thief to hide that way.
But the right-hand side led into the poorer houses close to the wall.
She'd figured it was a good plan, but just not how good.
As it was, she and the theif smacked into each other at the back corner of the building, sending Luz head over heels to eat a decent amount of dirt, and bowling the child into the ground.
Coughing and spitting out clods of frozen scrub grass, Luz looked up to see the boy - barely younger than Martin - pull her jar of coins close and what seemed to be an overly long nail from his ragged clothing.
"I-I'm warning you," he said, brandishing the shiv at her. "J-Just let… let me go…"
Luz put up her hands, trying to show him she was unarmed. "Hang on. If you want help, maybe Eda can-"
"You know the Falkreath witch?"
Luz was somewhat taken aback by the utter panic in his voice.
But before the boy could move or Luz respond, there was a rush of wind, blowing the boy's loose shirt over his face. As he stumbled back, the scrub grass grew, reaching out and wrapping around his legs, thick, hardy roots ripping out of the grown, pulling him into the frozen earth.
Luz looked around to see a young woman, not much older than herself, holding out her hand, magic dancing along her fingers, sweat visible on her brow.
The mage gasped as she let go of the spell, leaving the boy strapped to the ground. Panting, hands on her knees, the girl looked up and gave Luz a wink. "Hi there."
Luz couldn't help herself. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the mage's hands in her own, looking over her tough, slightly dirty hands then up to her face. "That… was… amazing!"
The girl gave her a shy little smile, clearly uncomfortable with Luz being inches from her nose, but too polite or nervous to pull away. "I mean… it wasn't anything special. You're welcome."
"Thank you," Luz said. "I'm Luz."
"Willow Greenholm," Willow said, pushing some of her dark hair out of her face, drawing Luz's attention to large almond eyes, long ears, and small brown horns. "Are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah, definitely," Luz said, rubbing some dirt off her face. "Are you a wood elf?"
"Um…"
"Willow?"
Both women turned to meet the voice of another mage , followed closely by a Redgard, who seemed a bit younger than all of them.
She was tall, with tightly braided emerald hair, and an emerald and silver amulet around her neck. Her robes were dark and stained with mud, but so was the rest of her.
Some of it looked fresh.
"Amity," Willow said, nervously. "Hi… just… catching a thief…"
Amity narrowed tired eyes at Luz, then found the boy in the dirt. "We shouldn't get involved in things that aren't our concern. We're on a schedule."
"But she-"
"It's okay, Willow," Amity said, sighing disappointedly. "I know it's hard for you to focus with all this lovely meat around, but we have to get going."
"Wait," Luz said, as Amity grabbed Willow's wrist and pulled her back toward the market. "Let me give you something for helping me at least."
Amity stopped, but kept pushing Willow forward. "Augustus? Take Willow up to Dragon's Reach. Master Faringar has what we need." She spun around, and managed a small smile. "That's fine, miss. We're mages of Winterfell - we don't need reward. Besides, I'm sure you can't spare a Septim anyway."
"What does that mean?" Luz asked, frowning. She'd seen Amity's eyes flick up and down. Something about that gaze made Luz very warm and her fist clenched.
"I mean," Amity said, waving a hand. "Just…"
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Exactly."
"Well," Luz said, gesticulating at Amity. "For some high and fancy College mage, you're awfully… ah… dirty."
Though she felt rather lame saying it, the angry flush that crept up Amity's face made Luz grin with satisfaction.
"If someone," Amity bit out. "Hadn't jumped over me, knocking me into the nearby well bucket, which - for some Divinely insipid reason - was full, dousing me in the market's finest, well traveled mud-" she caught her rising voice and took a breath. "I don't need to explain myself to common folk like you. Good day."
"Common folk?" Luz felt her own face get red at that. But the anger just made it hard to think and she sputtered as Amity turned away with a smirk.
"I…" Luz sputtered. "I'll have you know, I'm training with the most powerful witch in Skyrim. S-so… yeah!"
"Good for you," Amity said, calling over her shoulder, not turning back. "Maybe then you won't have to juggle like some Khajiit troubadour on the side of the road."
"I don't know what that means, but some of my best friends are Khajiit!"
"Of course they are."
Luz just growled out her frustration.
Muttering darkly to herself she took the shiv the boy had dropped and knelt next to him, cutting at the interwoven grass and roots.
"What are you doing?" he started to ask, almost shaking from nerves.
"Something nice," Luz snapped angrily. "This thing is so dull!"
"I mean… I didn't actually want to stab you," the boy said. "It's… just like when a stray cat makes a swipe at you? Like… ah… a threat?"
Luz groaned and started pulling at the roots instead, eventually getting the boy free. "Come on. I need to get my bag back from those nice people at Warmaiden's."
The boy tried to squirm away from her grasp. "W-wait, no! If you turn me into the guards, they'll toss me out of town. Or in a cell. I don't… I just…"
"Hey," Luz said, stopping and taking a breath. "Hey, no, it's okay. I'm not going to turn you in."
She knelt down in front of him, seeing him swipe at his eyes and duck his head. "How long have you been on the street?"
He sniffed and held up three fingers. "Weeks."
"Oh," Luz said, feeling a chill run over her. "Why?"
"Mum and Da… they were fighting for the Stormcloaks. But when… the Imperials took the village, they drove all of us out. I-I was scared… so I ran here. But I don't know anyone here. And I don't have any money and… and…"
He dropped to the ground, curling up into a ball, hiding his face, shoulders shaking. "Da said don't cry in front of ladies…"
Luz's heart broke.
She knelt next to him and put her arms around him, holding the small boy. He was so thin and he sobbed so quietly.
Adrianne looked up as Luz walked into the shop, the young thief trailing behind.
As Ulfberth stood, she waved him away.
It only took a glance to understand what Luz wanted to ask.
"Here's your bag," she said, handing Luz the satchel. "And I assume the little thief got away?"
"Yup," Luz said. "Right through my fingers. Got my gold back though. Found this little guy begging outside the inn though. I don't want to impose… but I don't suppose you have need of an apprentice? His father was a blacksmith. Maybe he can help you around the forge?"
Adrianne looked the boy up and down. "Not like that he can't. Far too skinny. But get some good food in him… I just took a large order from the Battleborn family. Ulfberth's all knuckles when it comes to fine work. But if you can keep up with me, boy, I might have some work for you."
The boy looked up and nodded. "I-I can do that…"
Adrianne nodded. "Right. I think I have some old clothes I can cut down for you. Nothing fancy, but better than those rags."
"I was going to take him for a meal at the inn," Luz said. "But I need to drop off my bag first, with my… teacher. Outside. But I'll be back soon."
"You Imperials are all so soft-hearted," Ulfberth grumbled, which earned him a loud slap from a smithing glove, thrown hard enough to make him recoil.
It didn't take long for Luz to return to Eda, and explain everything.
Eda scoffed, as Luz knew she would, but handed over Luz's cut from her work - 'As long as it comes out of your money' - and waved her away.
The inn was busy and noisey, and a little too hot. But Luz found a seat in the front corner of the room and brought over a plate of fresh bread, two hard-boiled eggs and a slice of cheese.
"Sorry it's not much," she said, but trailed off with a chuckle as the boy launched into the plate. "So, Sidric, you said, right?"
Sidric nodded, gulping down a cup of water and shoving a chunk of cheese between two chunks of bread.
"I can see you're busy," Luz said with a smirk. "So, maybe you'd like to hear me regale you with the story of how I escaped from Helgen when the dragon attacked."
His shining blue eyes grew wide and Luz launched into the tale - with a few edits here and there for his benefit. A villainous Tullius, an heroic Ralof and Ulfric… a sympathetic Hadvar.
The 'terrifing dragon' needed no embellishments.
As she wrapped up her tale with Eda waking and helping her - much to the obvious disbelief of Sidric - she noticed a man at the table over had been listening rather intently as well.
She caught his eye, which he quickly hid under his hood and in his mug. But when he resurfaced to check if she had been looking at him, and she was, he slugged the contents of the tankard back and nodded to her.
"That's quite the tale," he said. "Pretty hard to believe, if Helgen weren't a pile of stones and smoke."
"Believe me," Luz said, waving her hand with confidence. "I wish it was all a story. But I was there. Headsman and all."
"Headsman huh?" The man gave her a small smile. "I'd best not ask what got you put before an Imperial Headsman."
Eda's warning drifted through Luz's mind and she was suddenly on edge. Was he fishing for details or just being weirdly friendly?
She didn't have much time to decide, however, as the inn's door was hefted inward, almost taking out her chair, and a Dunmer woman strode in, followed by two guards.
The noise stopped almost at once.
"Irileth," the inn owner, Hulda, said cheerfully waving to the woman. "How nice of you to stop by on such a day. The Jarl's left his compliments for you-"
"Stow it, Hulda," the dark elf said, glaring around the patrons. "Where is he?"
"Who, Irileth?"
"The Jarl," Irileth said, matter of factly. "He always sneaks out during the festival and I have to take the afternoon to find him. So-" she stood on a chair, the hold guards closing and blocking the front and kitchen doors. "I will give whatever 'compliments' the Jarl left for me to the first one to point out the Jarl to me."
Luz looked around, somewhat confused. Was this common for 'jarls'? No one seemed particularly keen on taking Irileth up on her offer. She looked over at the man who had caught her eye, only to find him purposely looking everywhere but Irileth, and shrinking in to the shadows as best he could.
They locked gazes again, and she grinned as his smile vanished.
They both looked at Irileth, who was now sorting through a coin purse. "Right. I see he's already bribed all of you. Smart man, your Jarl. I will count to three. If you turn him in to me by that time, I will personally buy everyone in this tavern a hot meal and a drink. Deal?"
The man shook his head.
"One."
Luz smirked at him, unable to string together possible consequences when she was this close to getting someone into some funny, benign trouble.
"Two…"
"Miss," Luz piped up, drawing all eyes to her. "I think he's that one, in the hood and the corner." She pointed, and the man buried his face in his hands, laughter slowly bubbling out.
"Three," Irileth breathed, a wicked smile cracking over her lips - something it clearly didn't do often. "Hulda, you heard me. Everyone gets a hot meal and a drink. Send the tab to Jarl Balgruuf. I'll make sure you're paid in full."
She hopped down and strode over to the Jarl - with a short nod to Luz - as the man threw back his hood and leaned back in his chair. "You've spoiled my fun," he said, but Luz breathed a sigh of relief at the mirth in his eyes.
"My Jarl," Irileth said, bowing. "I wish you wouldn't do this. The Festival leaves the city gates wide open. Any old assassin or thug could walk in here and kill you."
"Ah, you're so mirthless, Irileth," Balgruuf grunted. "This is the last day of unfettered celebration before the cold sets in. Let me have this time with my people."
"It's not like you don't sneak out of Dragon's Reach any other random day of the year," she grumbled. "At least tell me so I can trail you. Protect you from the shadows."
"The city's too small for that," Balgruuf said, waving a hand , dismissively. "You get seen once without me, and the whole escape is off." He sighed goodnaturedly. "Though, I suppose you're right. Take me away, Irileth."
As they stood again, the guards moving to flank them, the crowd cheered Balgruuf's name. He turned to wave at them all, but caught Luz's attention once more as he came back around.
He stopped.
"Irileth?"
"Yes, My Jarl?"
"What do they say happened at Helgen?"
Luz's stomach dropped.
"A dragon, My Jarl."
"Guards," Balgruuf said, pointing at Luz. "Seize this escaped criminal from the Empire."
Strong hands grabbed Luz and hauled her to her feet, inches from Balgruuf's towering Nordic frame.
He grinned at her.
"She was at Helgen, apparently. I want to hear your tale again girl. Without the embellishments."