I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!
Nari jolts awake after hearing guards run past her room. She jumps up and quickly throws on clothes as her heart starts beating out of her chest hoping to Talos that there was nothing wrong with Ulfric. She follows them as they exit the Palace. She cocks her head to the side and continues to follow them as they rush out down the stairs towards Candlehearth Hall. They run to the right and down the stairs to the Graveyard. Narissa stops at the top when she sees A young lady and others around her. She walks down the stairs and notices its Susanna the Wicked. Nari puts her hand over her mouth and closes her eyes. Susanna was always a sweet woman and always said hello and good night to her whenever she passed. The guard notices Nari and walks up to her laying his hand on her shoulder.
"M'lady, you shouldn't be here." He says softly
"What Happened to Susanna?" Nari whispers pained.
The guard turns to look over and turns back lowering his head shaking it slightly.
"Looks like the work of The Butcher. He has been going after women in Windhelm for a little while and we are stretched so thin that it seems almost impossible to keep these women safe. We're trying all we can, m'lady." He looks up at Narissa and she nods
. "What can I do? Please let me help."
"Talk to Joreif and make sure you get the ok. But then I would suggest going to the Hall of the Dead and speak with Helgrid."
Narissa nods and runs back the way she came, back into the palace and past the table to the right and down to the kitchen area where Jorleif was sitting there reading. She slows down and smiles at Jorleif and sits across from him. Jorleif looks up and sets his book down smiling.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping Narissa?"
"I had a bunch of guards clamber past my door and woke me up, so I followed them. The Butcher got Susanna and I was told to come talk to you so I can have access to investigate."
Jorlief listens silently and doesn't react to the request. He probably figured Narissa would want to help sooner or later.
"If Jarl Ulfric finds out, he'll have my head. You know this right?" He says smiling slightly.
"I will handle that when it happens Jorleif. I like your head where's it at because it saves my head from becoming detached." Narissa says smiling brightly.
Jorleif snorts at the comment and nods slightly.
"That I do m'lady. I would suggest going to..."
"The Hall of the Dead and speak with Helgird. I know I know!" Narissa says giggling.
Jorleif chuckles and shakes his head as Narissa gets up and practically skips out of kitchen. She laughs and rushes back outside of the Palace and over to the Hall of the Dead. She opens the door and walks down the steps silently. She hits the bottom of the steps and looks to the left and to the right. To the left looks like living quarters so she walks to the right and walks slowly. She goes to pass the second hallway and see's Helgird. Nari walks over to her and smiles.
"What can you tell me about the body?" Narissa asks quietly.
She looks up at Nari and looks back down slightly puzzled. She points and walks closer as Nari does the same.
"These markings are skilled but unusual. You see that diagonal cut. That's what bothers me. It looks like a curved blade made it. Like an old nord tool used to embalm bodies," she shrugs slightly. "Other than that there's nothing else I can tell you."
Nari nods and leaves thanking her for her time. She leaves the Hall of the Dead and stands outside the door looking at the snow trying to figure out where to go from there. She looks up slightly and sees blood. She walks up to it and looks around trying to find anyone around her because she's pretty sure it wasn't there when she entered. She follows it for a few minutes and comes up to a house in the back corner. She looks around and looks up to look at the house. She turns and hurries back to Jorleif in the castle. By this time the sun was starting to rise. She entered and started towards to kitchen when shes stopped by a hand on her arm. She turns and smiles at Ulfric.
"You look tired." He says smiling.
"I've been up for a while. I figured when I got done running around, we can have some lunch." Narissa says quietly.
Ulfric smiles at her as his eyes start to warm up and nods. He kisses her forehead and turns to walk into the war room. Nari stands there blushing for a minute and turns to go downstairs and runs straight into Jorleif.
"Oh! I'm sorry Jorleif."
He smiles and waves it off.
"No big deal. Were you looking for me?"
Narissa nods. "I need a key to that big house to the right of the Palace." He looks at her and digs out the key.
"The key to Hjerm?"
He hands the key to her. She smiles and runs away before he has a chance to ask questions. She races back to the house and stands at the doorstep looking down at the blood. Nari takes a deep breath and unlocks the door with the key and slips it back into her pocket as she enters the house. The first thing that assaults her sense is the smell of blood. It hit her like a brick wall, and she puts her hand on the wall to steady herself. There's blood all over the floor and she turns and sees a chest and notices all the blood all over that. She walks over to it, sidestepping the blood and kneels by the chest. She pops it open and notices a bunch of Butcher flyers. She takes one and folds it up putting it in her bag and starts moving the papers. She notices a black journal and picks it up. She slides that in her bag and stands up looking around again. She notices another room. She walks in and sees two wardrobes. She goes to the one right in front of her and opens it up. There's nothing in it. She turns and sees more butcher flyers. She moves those and notices a strange amulet that has a green skull carved into the center. She picks it up and looks at it closer and looks that the other wardrobe. She opens it and notices clothes. She moves one and it scrapes hollowly against the back. Nari cocks her head and pushes on the back of the wardrobe and it gives away to a hidden room. she ducks her head and enters and looks up once she's gotten in and gasps. There are human skulls and lungs and an alter with body parts. She sees another journal and grabs it turning quickly and runs out, not even bothering to fix the wardrobe. She runs out of the house closing the door and runs all the way back to the palace without stopping. She enters the palace and looks to see Jorleif sitting down. She runs to him and sits down next to him, catching her breath. She places down the amulet and journals.
"These were found in Hjerm along with a whole bunch of blood. This is where the killer has been hiding and the journals suggests that it's a necromancer or someone else good with magic."
Jorleif looks at Nari surprised and looks at the journals. He touches the Amulet and shakes his head.
"There's a man at the entrance of the Grey Quarter named Calixto Corrium. I would suggest showing him the amulet. He might be able to tell you more about it and even buy it from you."
Narissa grabs a sweetroll and stands up thanking Jorlef and leaves the palace again winding her way to the House of Curiosities and she opens the door. She walks in and jumps when a man comes up behind her.
"What can I do for you?" He asks.
"I'm looking for Calixto Corrium."
"I am him."
Narissa pulls out the journals and the Amulet. "I'm currently investigating the murders of the three women killed here recently and I found these. These are the butchers and I was told to bring this amulet to you."
He takes hold of the amulet and examines it for a minute. He spins it around and looks at the detailing as if it is telling him something.
"This seems to be the amulet belonging to the Court Mage, Wuunferth."
Nari freezes slightly and continues hoping he didn't see that. She knows that the statement just made can't be right. There's no way that he would do something like that ever. Narissa nods and goes to take back the amulet and he keeps it in his hand.
"I can buy this off you. I like things like this. How does 1500 septums sound?"
Narissa looks at it and memorizes it and nods smiling.
"That would be great. Thanks!"
He gives her the money in a coin purse, and she walks out and makes it halfway through the grey quarter when she breaks out at a dead run for the Palace. She throws open the door and runs to the right side and through the door and up the tunnel to Wuunferths rooms. She bursts into the, panting and trying to catch her breath. Wuunferth jumps nearly knocking over what he was working on before turning around and seeing Nari. He leads her to a chair and sits down.
"What's wrong? You seem like you saw a ghost."
"I found an amulet and a journal at that Hjerm house and I brought to Calixto and he said it was yours to suggest that you practice necromancy. And I know you don't, and I think he was lying."
Wuunferth takes the journals and reads through them. He sits down and sets it down sighing.
"This wasn't me, but he will strike again and soon. Tonight, in the marketplace. If you want to stop him that would be the best time. Get him before he gets someone else."
Nari stands and nods. "I will make sure he dies tonight."
Nari turns on her heels and walks out hearing Wuunferth snort in approval. She walks out into the main dining area and across to the war room. She peaks in and sees Ulfric sitting there looking over the map. She looks and makes sure there isn't anyone else there and she sneaks up to him and kisses his cheek and laughs softly. He looks up surprised and smiles.
"I'm done for now. Are you having a good day?"
"It just got a little better," He starts smiling and blushing slightly. "Are you ready for that lunch you promised me?"
Narissa nods and sits down next to him in an empty chair and the cook comes out with some sandwiches and soup and mead. Nari smiles and picks up the sandwich and takes a bite.
"This is so good! I'm so hungry."
He chuckles softly. "You haven't eaten at all today."
The time with Ulfric passes with laughing and jokes and was all around a good time. Nari loves being around Ulfric and his laugh. It was like honey to her ears and tried to make him laugh every time she saw him. A soldier walked in and asked to see Ulfric about plans and they both left and Nari wandered back to her room and sat down and within minutes she was out.