Day Twenty
Everything was just as I had left it at Breezehome when we had returned so I guessed I could trust to leave it while we went to Solitude for this spy game Delphine thought was necessary. Well rested and fed, we struck out again early.
We got past Silent Moons Camp this time without incident. The road took us through a narrow pass that was already crowded with two brown mammoths lumbering down. The ground shook as they passed but they did not become aggressive. I did not fancy having to try to either take them out or outrun them. I was not even sure my full force shout would have any effect on them except to ruffle their matted fur.
Not far up the road I heard a horse breathe. I got out my bow, wary of bandits lurking in the mountains. I found the horse but it was riderless, then I noticed an orc lying on the ground next to it. His chest was to the ground but his face was staring up at the sky. When will orcs learn that horses won't stand for their stink so close to them? I checked the orc for anything valuable and found just a few coins. The horse, however was also fair game. I climbed into the saddle and held a hand out for Lydia to join me.
"I think not," she said, "By the looks of it that horse is too old and feeble to carry both of us. That's probably why he threw the orc. Self preservation. But you feel free to ride him. I'll just walk as fast as I can behind you."
"That doesn't sound right," I said, "Horses are pretty fast. You'll probably have to run. So, let's go."
Lydia did indeed have to catch up but she did well for all the armor she had on, and the fact that it was uphill, and carrying my burdens. We came to an alter and suddenly I remembered we had gone this way before. A shrine to Mara was at the top of the hill, like when we had gone to Ustengrav. This was also where I found that abandoned alter with all the gems left on it. I wondered if anyone had paid another visit.
Lydia finally caught up and I decided to ditch the horse. If I remembered correctly it will not be much help getting through the mountains. Plus, Lydia would not be much help with her huffing and puffing all the way. Just past the shrine I ran into a Vigilant of Stendarr standing over a mangled skeleton.
"Thanks for the help, Sweetie," I complimented her, "You've saved me the trouble of killing the thing myself. Looks like he was all bone for you. I hope you did not break a nail."
"Always walk in the light," she said, "Pig."
The vigilant stalked away. I turned to Lydia. "Friend of yours?"
"Some things are just obvious to everyone."
After a short search I found the hidden alter. Up at the top of the mountain, drool froze as it left my lips. The bowl at the alter was filled again with gems and magical items. I looked in the chest next to it and it also had new items. I guess I could stop calling this an abandoned alter.
"Wait," I said, "What if that vigilant left this stuff?"
"Vigilants are not known for their wealth and I doubt she would just leave knowing you were so close."
"What does that mean? You could take them, too."
"I am a trusted housecarl in the service of the Jarl."
"I am Thane of Whiterun and trusted to uphold the hold's justice."
"Then why are you taking all that stuff?"
I looked down and realized I had been emptying the bowl and chest while talking. "I can't just leave valuables like this lying around. Some unscrupulous person may come along and take them."
"Really?"
"How about we get going?"
"I suppose you want me to carry that stuff?"
"What? Oh, no, that's all right. I've got this. Actually, after you."
Up over the ridge I was looking down on Labyrinthian again. I was stronger, more confident in my abilities but Lydia was still leery about even approaching it. Down below I could see a frost troll walking along the walls. I could make out a lot of tracks in the snow throughout the rest of the courtyard so either it was very active or there was more than one. I decided to not put Lydia through the anxiety of such a test so I found a small path just outside of the walls and we avoided the whole place entirely. I managed to reach the bottom first. Lydia was probably still sore from trying to keep up with the horse. The first thing I saw on the road was a large frostbite spider not far away. I crouched to remain hidden then got my bow out and killed it with one shot. When I went to retrieve the arrow I was pleases to see I had shot it right in the mouth.
Lydia caught up to me, "Looks like somebody's been hunting spiders."
"You like that?" I asked, "I did it. Right in the mouth."
"Uh huh."
"What? I did, that's my arrow."
Lydia bent down and pulled the arrow out, "It's not warm. You shoot flaming arrows."
"It obviously fell in the snow which cooled it."
"I see, well, too bad there isn't another you could show me your technique on."
"Just wait, housecarl. Next spider is all mine and the arrow's going so far in its mouth it'll look like it's eating a bird."
I snatched the arrow from her and continued down the road but I did not get far before something caught my interest. I saw a dragon mound off the road and took Lydia over to investigate. As soon as I got there, however, I noticed it was not a mound but the entrance to a ruin like at Ustengrav. I could also hear a skeleton creaking around somewhere. I went around one side with my sword ready until I got to the edge of the ruin. A skeleton was making his way up the stairs slowly, waving an ancient axe in his hand. He came towards me, running. I put up my sword to parry his axe but Lydia appeared from out of nowhere and obliterated him from behind. I protected myself from the shower of bones and bone meal.
Lydia returned her axe to her back, "It was no arrow to the mouth, but still effective, huh?"
"I know a mouth that needs an arrow," I muttered.
"What was that?"
"It might have been weak to arrows," I said, covering.
"I used my axe."
"Let's see what's done there."
I headed down the steps to see what the skeleton was protecting. I found a book titled, 'Black Arts on Trial'. Now there was a book I wanted to read. I skimmed through it but I found nothing I wanted to know. In fact it was more instructional towards illusionary magic than critical. Funny thing was, I was sure I could do the things it said. I moved on. After emptying the urns scattered around I found my favorite kind of mage, a dead one, sprawled out uncomfortably on a shattered table. His demise looked painful. Too bad I missed it. Next to him on the floor I found a staff that Lydia ooooed over. It is long with three blue crystals set inside three golden prongs, looking like dragon claws. I handed it to her.
"I've only seen these in books," she said, "It a Staff of Revenants, capable of raising the dead, and not just animals and the young, but more powerful creatures and people. Farengar might have more use for this, however."
"I was thinking it would make for good kindling," I said, sneering at the evil staff.
"Do you know what would happen if you threw this into a fire?"
"No."
"I don't either, but I imagine I would not want to be around if these crystals erupted."
"Just keep it out of sight, then. It makes skeevers run up my back."
Lydia wrapped it and put it away. I searched for an entrance to the ruin, just in case I wanted to come back, but I did not find one. We left and, thinking of the staff and the book, I wished we had never stopped to look.
Without looking at the map, I stumbled into Morthal. I was not sure why but that town gave me the creeps. It was too quiet and surrounded by too much fungus. In front of the Jarl's house a group of armed men were gathered, yelling for answers. I stopped one of the men as they walked away.
"What's the problem?" I asked him.
"The townspeople are frightened," he said, "They see strange lights out in the marshes and hear unholy things in the night. The Jarl does nothing and that scheming wizard, Falion, is just whispering in her ear."
"Perhaps you should get your Thane to do something."
"Thane?" he laughs, "What makes you think we can afford a Thane? We don't even have a proper store here. What brings you here anyway, stranger?"
"Just passing through on the way to Solitude."
"Everyone does. You might want to mind your own business, then, before people wonder why you are asking questions."
The rude man walked away but he had given me an idea.
"Lydia, he said this hold has no Thane."
"So?"
"What if I could become the Thane?"
"Don't you think you'd be spreading yourself a little thin, Ralos?" she asked.
"You would be going back and forth for every little squabble that comes up."
"That's true. And what if I got another housecarl? The last thing I need is another woman trying to manage me."
"You should be so lucky."
"Lucky? Is that the word I was thinking of? Pain in my lucky. No, that doesn't sound right. Forget I said anything. Let's get out of this dreary haunt."
Swamps and marshes were becoming some of my least favorite places. Besides the stagnant water ruining my good boots and pants, there were fungus pods and giant lichen all over the place. I don't mind fighting mudcrabs and frostbite spiders out in the open, but here they like to hide behind all the trees or down in the holes and dips in the landscape, coming out just to pinch or spit at you. We even ran into a troll in there. I thought they stayed in the mountains?
Near Solitude we found a cluster of tents outside of a ruin. No one was around so we poked through the tents looking for stuff. I found a journal by some mage named Daynas Valen. Apparently he found an ivory claw and planned to use it to retrieve some amulet. It must be like the sapphire claw I had for Shroud Hearth. That would be nice to have for my collection, the amulet, too. I wondered if they had already come and gone. I go up to the ruin to see if I could tell if they were still near.
"Is that one of the old ruins?" Lydia asked.
"No, I believe it's one of the new ruins, built just last year."
"Stuff it up your sweetroll, Thane. I was only asking."
Sweetroll? That was a long way from ,'It's an honor to serve you'. I was starting to think I would have to force Lydia to stay at Breezehome until her attitude was more appropriate for my station. I marked the ruins on the map. A small plaque over the door said 'Folgunthur', so I wrote that next to the X and continued on to Solitude. I first heard the bells of the shipping docks then remembered we had to swim across the harbor. There was no getting around it since I could find no boat. We dove in and hurried as best we could.
By the time we reached Solitude, we had dried sufficiently to not attract much attention. We went to the shop, Bits and Pieces, first to sell stuff we had picked up. The woman Lydia had threatened was not there but I thought I saw someone slip quickly through a side door. The other woman was cordial enough, though her dialogue seemed a bit stilted. I believe Belethor said the exact same words to me. I wondered if they had a guild that made them all practice the same lines? My business concluded, it was time to find this Malborn.
The Winking Skeever was starting to fill up so I tried to look casual as I surveyed the inn. I saw a table against the wall with a wood elf sitting by himself.
"Are you Malborn?" I asked him.
"Who wants to know?"
His attitude needed some correction but I assumed it could be part of his disguise. I let it go. "Our mutual friend sent me."
"You're kidding? You're who she picked? Was she drunk?"
His irreverent disguise was grating my nerves. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Lydia trying not to laugh.
"I hope she knows what she's doing," Malborn said, "or she's going to get me killed for sure this time. Here's the deal. I can smuggle in some stuff for you, not much, so keep it simple. Give me only what you will need for the mission, weapons, armor, stuff like that."
"All right. When do you need this stuff?"
"Now. I'm only on a break. I need to be getting back and this is my only chance."
"I didn't bring a change of clothes, Elf. If I give you my armor to take, I'll be down to my smallclothes."
"I understand. Some men are shy about... revealing too much of themselves. Perhaps you won't need any armor. This requires more sneaking around than fighting."
Lydia was chuckling louder now so I gave her a shove to show my irritation. "Sneaking, huh? I'll probably need my armor. The Nines..."
I undressed, attracting a few stares, and a frown from the owner. Hopefully he would not call the guards. It would be hard to attend a party from the jail. I handed what I would need to the elf.
"Great. Look for me at the party and wait to speak with me."
He dashed off with my stuff and I decided to see if Bits and Pieces was still open. They should have something I could wear. Lydia followed, barely able to smother her laughing.
We passed the owner who looked me up and down. "Somehow I expected... more."
Lydia finally burst out laughing and fell into the nearest chair. I clenched my fists and left them all behind. She definitely needed a break when we got back. I made it to the shop just as Sayma was closing it up.
"I need something from you," I said.
She looked at me, startled, then said, "Well, I couldn't help notice you looking at me, but I'm a married woman and with a small child. I don't do that anymore. Um, we'll have to be discreet."
"Hold on. I just need to buy some clothes. I had to... part with my other ones."
"Oh. Of course, I knew that. Ha ha, didn't you get my joke? Don't tell anyone, though. They might not get it either. I'll give you some clothes if you get inside quickly."
It turned out Sayma had quite a selection of men's clothing in a back room. A big sturdy bed, too. She must put in a lot of long hours. I left and found Lydia waiting outside sitting on a barrel eating an apple. She threw me an apple.
"Work up an appetite?" she asked.
"What?"
"The clothes. Did you pay for them or... work for them?"
"What are you talking about? I paid for them."
"Wow. A married woman? I didn't think you had it in you. 'Course I can't say I'm too surprised either. What next?"
"Well the party is not until tomorrow and it's getting late. We'll hold up at the inn and go see Delphine at the stables tomorrow."
"She must have wore you out. Whatever you say. You're the Thane."
Confused, I ignored her once again and went to rent the room.