Counting out the gold sprinkled on the bed, the total results to 623. Despite her numerous attempts, her numerous thieving and pickpocketing and trading, Libby still comes up short in her pursue to buy a stunning black bow at the Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun.
While it would be just as easy to break in and steal it, this is one of those rare occasions where she wishes to pay for what she wants. That feeling of earned comes to her mind, and despite her approach, the reward would still feel the same. Maybe even more. Sighing, Libby gathers all the coins back into the coin purse, tightens the pull string, and sets it inside the drawer of her end table.
She climbs out of her bed and moves to the one mirror in the room to fix her hair. It is behind a panel in the wardrobe near the bed. She gathers all of her thick black mess of curls away from her face and secures it with a hairband. Then with careful fingers, begins to weave and wrap each section into her intricate and trademark braid. Looking in the mirror, in her reflection, she sees almond-shaped hazel eyes, a thin nose and a heart-shaped face.
Diamond still sleeps, sprawled completely over her bed. Spits of hay messed in her dark hair. Her arm is hanging over the edge of her bed, her fingertips brushing the floor. A soft snore snorting through her nose, and there is a piece of hair covering her nose and mouth that shifts with each exhale.
Streaks of early morning light pierce through the crevices in the wood of the roof and the smell of dew creeps through the door and wafts Libby's nose. The Thieves Guild Armor is a light armor mostly made of leather and is lightweight, making it ideal for the agile shadow-hugging thief. She folds her robe and sets it back into the trunk at the foot of the bed. The brown supple leather material clings to her figure; consisting of the armor itself, gloves and a hood, it ensures a slim fit. She steps into the boots, not even bothering to be quiet. A herd of cattle wouldn't wake Diamond up; yet is she hears the slightest creak in the wood floor, she spring up and ready her blade.
Libby steps out to the porch, an early morning mist dwindles through the street and a fresh cold breeze sends welcoming goosebumps along Libby's arms. Once she's outside, the cool air wakes her up. There are a few people milling around the Sleeping Giant and emerging from their shop; including Alvor who comes around the corner of the house carrying firewood for the house.
"Morning sir," Libby greets with a smile.
"Ah morning . . ." He pauses and squints an eyebrow trying to remember.
"Libby, sir." She says.
"Libby, yes. My apologies."
"It's fine. Let me help you with that." She says as she jogs over and takes some of the wood off of Alvor's arms.
"So, not that I don't appreciate your company, but when are you girls leaving? Word needs to get to the Jarl straight away."
"Well Dia's a bit of a late sleeper so after the attack, I'd let her sleep in. Though I'm surprised she managed to sleep through the night." Says Libby.
"Not the same for you?"
Libby shakes her head as she sets the firewood outside the door. "Damn dragon. Haunts me even in the shadows; where I usually feel safe." She mumbles.
Alvor opens his mouth to say something, but is cut short by the sound of a loud yawn. "Whoa, what a night. I slept like a bump on a log!"
Libby turns to see Diamond out on the front porch, fixing her sandy hair into its usual ponytail. She now wears, as she did when they first came to Riverwood, wearing the armor worn by assassins of the Dark Brotherhood. The armor is red and black, with many straps and buckles running down the chest and across the waist. She's been sleeping in her clothes since they came to Riverwood.
"Sleep well?" Libby asks. Dia nods and smiles in return. "It's funny, in let you sleep since I know you wake up late, but on the same day you decide to get up early."
"I can't help myself." Dia says. "I'm a wild card!"
"Hmph, you're wild alright." Libby retorts.
"So, when do we leave to Whiterun?" Dia asks with a wide smile.
"Whenever you're ready. Why are you so eager?" Libby asks.
"I've never been to Whiterun, or much of the holds."
"Really? I'd imagine your . . . line of work, would have out traveling all over." Libby covers.
"I'm still new, Libby."
Libby rolls her eyes and leans on the wood banister of the porch. "If I may ask," Alvor interjects. "How old are you, Libby?"
"Nineteen."
"Ah, and you Dia?"
"I'm sixteen." Dia answers.
"Are you two related?" Alvor asks as he pulls out a slab of metal. It glows a bright orange blaze and spits embers of light as he hammers it on the anvil.
"No, we met through business." Libby answers.
"Oh, my apologies. It's just that you two seem so close." Alvor says.
"Well, that's because we are." Dia smiles, nudging Libby in the arm. Libby smiles and gives a breathy laugh. "We've been together for, years."
"I actually think we met when you were, what fourteen?" Libby asks.
"I think."
"Hate to interrupt, but shouldn't you two be heading to Whiterun?" Alvor points out.
"Oh, right." says Libby.
"You want us gone, fine!" Dia says smiling and waving her hand.
"We'll make sure the Jarl gets your message." Libby assures.
"I thank you." Alvor replies.
Libby and Diamond hop on the main road of Riverwood and make their way to the North exit. Crossing through the gateway, they cross the bridge and take the northern road. Summer is spreading through Skyrim as birds flock through the trees and butterflies pollinate mountain flowers. The air smells of fresh water and pine.
"So, you really going to deliver the news?" Dia asks as she kicks aside some pebbles.
"Of course. It's the least I, we, could do." Libby answers. "You spelt like a log last night. I'm surprised."
"What? Rough night?" Dia asks.
Libby rubs her eyes in answer. It's then Dia notices dark circles under her eyes. When was the last time Libby had a good night sleep?
She's been running ramped trying to give the Guild a reputation again in Skyrim. It's currently having a run of bad luck, and she's been taking on extra jobs from Delvin and Vex. Not a day goes by that Diamond doesn't see her entering and leaving the Flagon with a job assigned. And still the members don't give her the respect Dia claims she had earned long ago. But anything she says could harm Libby's reputation, and her chances of staying in the Guild; Dia falsely implying that's Libby's making a decent living outside the Guild – which she could be – and then the Guild would answer with that they don't need her or something along those lines. So Dia keeps her mouth close, even though she and the Guild know that they'd never discharge Libby. She's far too valuable a thief for them to let go.
"Okay," says Libby. "Whiterun is just down the hill." She points and on the horizon, Dia can see the outline of a city atop a large hill.
Whiterun is the capital of the Whiterun Hold, and known as a peaceful city in Skyrim. It's located on the eastern end of its Hold, in the tundra plains that fill the center of Skyrim. The Jarl is known to avoid political affairs, and the most well-known guild or social club to join is the Campanions. Their mead hall Jorrvaskr is the central hall in the Cloud District.
The girls follow the main road up until the reach the farmlands that are scattered outside the wall. As the girls mingle, they take in the landscape and when they come closer, they see a fight.
"What the -?" Dia starts, but then she's yanked harshly down by Libby, and the moment they hit the ground, a large rock braises over their heads.
They look up and find a trio of warriors fighting off a giant.
Giants are a race of gargantuan humanoids found in the wilderness of Skyrim and High Rock. Invaders are said to be attacked with the massive clubs constructed by them. Standing between 11 and 12 feet tall, they have thick gray skin, long, powerful limbs, large hands and feet, and thick greyish-brown hair decorated with braids and beads. Most giants have decorative scars carved into their chests, possibly serving as tribal or religious symbols. They are relatively peaceful creatures as long as potential threats keep their distance, and leave their mammoths unharmed.
This giant has arrows lodged in its back and roars with rage as he pounds the ground with his fists, vibrating through the soils. Libby and Dia wobble as they stand and hold together.
"Should we help?" Dia asks.
A man with brown hair and smeared in dirt, wielding a greatsword goes to slice at the giant's knee, but the giant whacks him with his club. To their surprise, he merely stumbles back, then regains footing quickly.
"Lucky hit!" he says. But then a girl with short brown hair and tan skin takes an initial hit and fumbles to one knee. The giant goes for a deathblow, but an arrow pierces his bicep.
"I think they've got it covered." Libby gestures, but her voice is weary.
But then the giant grips around the throat it of the man and raises him high.
"Or maybe we could lend a hand." Libby then says. "I'll get his attention, then you come in for the kill." She instructs.
"That's what I do best." Dia smiles with a wink.
Libby then sprints forward. She lifts her arms. Bending forward, using her gained momentum, she launched in a round-off. The world blurred, becoming a mesh of light and streaking colors. Catapulting into a midair Arabian, knees tucked in, she became weightless. The giant takes notice. Then, bam, her feet met the bare ground, ankles jarring from the impact on the hand, cushion-free surface.
But like a windup toy set into motion, there would be no stopping.
A millisecond later and she completes the second round-off, pulled through the hands-free whip, and finished the back handspring, air whistling in her ears. She launches towards the giant, gripping his wrist and swinging on it kicking him in the face. The giant's grip on the man's neck loosens and the man drops to the grounds gasping.
Diamond helps him to his feet and slings his arm around her neck and hauls him to a small concrete divide wall. He slumps down, but Dia knows he'll be fine. The giant roars and as he goes for a blind swings, Diamond backlfips and sends three daggers into the monsters' arm.
The giant grunts and roars. He swings his club at Libby who agile dodges and rolls. As the giant goes to swing a punch to her, she bends back, grips and swings around the giant's wrist. The swings up his arm, around his torso and then back up front, gripping its chin, and carried by her momentum, she yanks back and with one foot dangling above the ground, she presses the other into the small of the giant's back. There's a thick popping sound.
"Dia, now!"
Diamond readies her iron sword and tosses it between hands before sprinting forward, spinning the blade out. Pushing off her feet, she launches and grips the hilt of the sword with both hands. As gravity aids her, she drives the blade straight into the chest of the giant. It roars and slumps. Both girls push off as it crashes to the ground.
Dia lands on a rock, Libby on the ground next to her. Her motions were so graceful, the sly and smoothness of a practiced thief. With her sword still stuck, Dia sighs and goes to extract it. She wipes the blood on the grass and sheaths her blade, trying to ignore the rusty smell of crimson wafting in her nose.
"You good?" Libby asks.
"Yeah, I'm good." Dia answers.
As they regroup, the woman, the archer, approaches. "You girls handle yourselves well. You both could make for decent Shield-Sisters. I'm Aela the Huntress."
She appears fairly young, with coppery-red hair, icy-green eyes, and war paint that mimics scratch marks across her face. She has a quiver of iron arrows, and a hunting bow slung across her back.
"What are Shield-Sisters?" Dia asks.
"An outsider, eh? Never heard of the Companions?" she says. "An order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough."
Dia smiles at this. It's not something she wants to do, but then again, she knows little about it. And this seems like a group that would tolerate her impulsive temper. Libby crosses her arms, unconvinced.
"Pfft. Sounds like a waste of time." Libby says. And to her surprise, Dia glares at her.
"Well, nobody asked you. If you think you're better than we are, go talk to Kodlak Whitemane. See what a warrior or true mettle is like."
"Oh I know I'm better than you honey." Libby scoffs. "You just don't." Libby bumps her shoulder as she passes Aela, a smirk on her lip as Aela glares.
Dia stays behind briefly before approaching. "Is there any way to join?" she whispers.
Aela looks to her and gives a faint smile. "Not for me to say. You should speak to Kodlak. The man has a good sense of people. He can look you in the eye, and tell you you're worth. If you do go see him, good luck."
Diamond nods and smiles and quickly catches up to Libby, who has stopped and turned to wait for her. Dia's stomach sinks, but she acts like nothing happened. She knows Libby saw, and that she won't bring it up until later. Then again, what Dia does isn't Libby's business, and while she may not agree with it, she doesn't stop Dia, not usually.
When approaching Whiterun, the towering fortress of Dragonsreach dominates the view.
Its history can be traced back to the First Era, when King Olaf One-Eye subdued the great dragon Nominal in a legendary duel of Thu'ums atop Mount Anthor, and brought him back to the fledgling town as a captive. It was then that the magnificent keep was rebuilt and renamed to serve as a cage for Numinex, whose head is said to still adorn the Great Hall.
As the girls walk under the gate, they see the gates of the hold with two guards posted up front. One of them approaches.
"Halt! City's closed with the dragons about. Official business only." He says.
"What?!" Dia exclaims. "Dude you had better let us in. do you know what we've been through?!" Dia goes to reach for her dagger, but Libby's hand places her hand over hers, stopping it.
"We come with a message. Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid." Libby states.
"Riverwood's in danger too? You'd better go on in. You'll find the Jarl in Dragonsreach, at the top of the hill."
Libby gives Diamond a smug look, and Dia only avoids her gaze. The guards stand aside and let the girls pass through.
Whiterun is composed of three districts. The Plains District is the first district any visitor enters when in the city. It contains all the merchants, and the marketplace. The Wind District is where most of Whiterun's residential buildings, including the mead hall Jorrvaskr and the Gildergreen, are located. The Cloud District is the smallest of Whiterun's three districts.
They walk in, and Dia is instantly skittish with glee. A broad smile on her face as she bounces on the tips of her toes. Libby's never seen her this excited; her arms pressed to her sides and hands into fists, bouncing on her toes. Meanwhile Libby's been nearly all over Skyrim with the many jobs she takes for the Guild, so she's less than impressed, through Whiterun is one of her favorites. The Jarl stays out of the war, and everyone is prosperous if they're willing to work hard.
Which reminds her, the Drunken Huntsman is just up a small hill right when the walk in. also she needs to complete a few jobs for Vex to make up for the failed task in Helgen. She still doesn't know how the Guild will react.
"So listen Dia. Dia!" Libby calls. Diamond whirls around as she had skipped several paces ahead. Libby catches up to her. "Listen, I've got some extra jobs to do along with delivering the news to the Jarl. So, while I might regret it, do you want to go and look around?" she ask.
Dia smiles and gasps. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" she glops Libby in a hug and squeezes, squealing with happiness.
"Okay, okay." Libby laughs as she pushes Dia off. "Look, just look around, and don't get into any trouble." She points at Dia as she explains. "The last thing I need is wasting my coin bailing you out of jail. Understand?"
"Yes." Dia wines. "Can I go?!"
Libby sighs and smiles. "Fine, go." She releases Diamond and she instantly runs into the Plain's District; completely ignoring Libby as she shouts. "Just promise you won't get -! . . . In trouble." Libby sighs.
"This isn't going to end well." She mumbles.
Libby then turns and heads her way through the district up to Dragonsreach. It is constructed in the ornate wooden style of the great Nord longhouses of ancient days. It is very much the focal point of the entire city itself. As is true of the keeps in other cities, Dragonsreach serves many important functions.
Libby walks past the one guard on patrol on the front porch and pushes through the huge double doors. They shriek on rusted hinges and echo throughout the hall when they close. The great hall is the main chamber of the keep and where the Jarl sits on his throne beyond the long tables and central fire pit. The shelves to the sides have all manners of books. There are balconies on the upper floor, from which you can peer down. The head of Numinex adorns the great hall above the Jarl's throne.
Walking up the steps, Libby gazes at the grandness of the hall. Built entirely of wood, the smell of smoke and food mixes together in the atmosphere. Atop the steps, the Jarl is speaking with his steward. From the way it sound, they were having a steaming debate, no doubt about the dragon attack.
As Libby approaches, she nearly misses the dark elf coming towards her, sword drawn. Libby instinctively steps back, placing her hand on her knife.
"What's the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."
Libby can't stop herself from snarling. She manages to hear the steward mention Helgen's attack, and decides to change the matter of news needing to be delivered.
"I have news from Helgen. About the dragon attack." She says.
"You know about Helgen? The Jarl will want to speak with you personally. Approach." She then sheaths her sword and leads Libby to the throne. Libby keeps her head low as she mounts the steps to display innocence. After her failed burglary job, she's relieved that the news didn't spread fast.
"So, you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" Jarl Balgruuf asks.
Libby nods. "The dragon destroyed the entire town. My friend and I barely made it out."
"Shor's bones. This is most disturbing." He turns to his steward. "What do you say now, Proventus. Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"
"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwod at once." The dark elf says. "It's in the most immediate danger, if that dragon is lurking in the mountains . . ."
"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" Proventus interjects. "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side an attack him. We should not -"
"Enough!" Jarl Balgruuf barks. "I'll not stand idly while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!" he turns to the dark elf. "Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once."
"Yes, my Jarl." Irileth says. Then she turns and leaves.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties." Proventus says. His tone sounding of defeat.
"That would be best. " Jarl Balgruuf insists. As Proventus walks away, Jarl Bulgruuf turns to Libby. "Well done. You sought me out on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it."
A guard comes over and hands Libby steel armor.
"Here. Take this as a small token of my esteem." He says.
"Thank you, my Jarl." Libby smiles.
Libby then gives the Jarl her regards and turns to leave the palace.
Dia explores all the stands in the marketplace of Whiterun, and gazes at the bits and food and jewelry for sale. Around the stands are three stores, one being an inn called the Bannered Mare. Another shop is an apothecary shop called Arcadia's Cauldron, and a general goods store. Dia prances around the district until she wanders to the Wind District where the huge tree is the epicenter of it. Jorrvaskr, the home of the Companions, as she overheard the bartender at the Bannered Mare say, is the home of the Companions.
Dia can't see from whre she's standing, and while now wanting to trespass on property, she climbs the tree. She climbs as high as she dares to see, muscles burning. She is standing on a branch, hand gripping another one for balance, when she hears someone call.
She peers down and finds a guard waiting for her. "I'm not going to ask you again. Get down!"
Dia sneers. "Would you relax, man? It's just a tree."
"Get down, now!"
"I thought you weren't going to ask me again?" Dia mocks.
"That tree is hold sacred to the goddess Kynareth. And it is valuable to us. Now get down, or we will force you."
Dia is about to snap back whe she remembers about Libby telling her – or ordering her - to stay out of trouble. So she climbs down and hops to her feet. "There. Happy?"
"Now come with us." Says the guard.
"What?!"
"You've committed crimes against Skyrim and her people. What's says you in your defense?" the guard says.
"It's just a tree! I didn't know!"
"But you refused orders against the hold's law."
"Are you kidding me?!" Dia argues. Then two guards take her by the arms. "Hey! No! Let me go!"
Libby trudges down the steps from Dragonsreach, her mind searching for different strategies for how to obtain her goods. She was finishing an apple she picked from the food bowl on the tables in the palace, when she hears the shouts.
"Let me go! Buzz off!"
"Oh no." Libby groans. She dumps the apple into the river running through the palace and runs towards the steps where she sees two guards hauling Dia away.
"It's just a tree! What the hell?!" she screams.
Libby facepalms herself and runs after the guards. She's within arm's reach until one steps in her way. Libby halts instantly and jumps back.
"Halt citizen. Official Whiterun business. Move along." Says the guard.
"What happened?" Libby asks.
"Some smart-mouth citizen who thought she was above the law."
Libby groans. "Look that's my friend. Could you just -"
"Libby!" Dia calls. Relief and worry fills Dia just like when a parent finds out their child has done something wrong. "Libby! Look hey, that's my friend -"
Libby glares at her to stop, but Dia mouths to her: Help me. Libby in answer rolls her eyes. "Look, she's new to the city. She hasn't been here before. Can't you just, let it go?" Libby persuades.
"Why would I just let her weasel out of breaking the law? I know Thieves Guild armor when I see it. You're not fooling anyone." the guards asks, folding his arms.
Libby sighs. She leans in and whispers. "Look, since you know I'm with the Guild, can't you just, look the other way?"
Even with his helmet on, Libby could see the smile on his face. "I can make all her problems with the guards go away. For a price. What do you say?"
Libby purses her lip in a tight line. She respires. "How much?"
"Well her bounty would be, five gold. But I'll take ten for future, minor problems." He holds out his hand.
Libby look at his palm then to him. She then reaches behind her back to her one of many pockets on her belt. She pulls out a coin purse and bounces it in her hand. "Look, this has 650 gold to it. If she were to get into any other trouble, this clears all of her bounties, and you let her go. All except for murder. She's on her own." Libby negotiates. "Deal?"
The guards look to her, then takes the coin purse. "Done. Now move along, before you get me in trouble." He says.
Libby stands and folds her arms as she watches the guard approach the other who were just about to drag Dia up the steps into Dragonsreach.
"Let her go. Her bounty's been cleared." He says.
The guards look to Dia, then to him and Libby watches as he points to her and shows them the coin. Dia wrenches her arms away and dusts herself off. Libby can see her mumbling: You better let me go. That's right.
"Yeah, you better watch it, I have friends?" Dia says. She brushes off her chest and arms when one of the guards leans in.
"Psst. Hey I know who you are." He says. Dia turns to him with a confused look. "Hail Sithis!" he whispers.
Dia's eyes widen as he turns and follows the other two that are heading up the steps. She watches them until they get to the second landing then turns to find Libby with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.
Dia nervously laughs. "Don't be mad."
"Are you kidding me, Dia?! I can't leave you alone for one hour?!"
"Oh shut up!" Dia waves off as she walks.
"Don't walk away from m! Dia!" Libby grabs her arms and yanks Dia aside. "Are you serious? You refused to listen to the guards?"
"It's just a tree!" Dia defends.
"Well that tree is sacred to them, just as death is to Sithis!" Libby is shouting now, and she can feel the anger swirling around inside her, violent and vicious and the strongest she's felt in days. "Did I not say, I didn't want to waste money on you?!"
Dia takes a deep breath. "How much was the bounty?" Dia asks.
"Five gold."
"Well then why the hell are you yelling at me?!" Dia barks back.
"Because I paid the guy 650 to clear you off any other stupid mistakes you'll probably make when in Whiterun! Everything but murder, you get caught for that, you're on your own!" Libby replies. "Honestly, I can't take you anywhere!"
"Stop yelling at me." Dia says quietly, and she finally has the decency to look down. "Just stop."
Dia used to see all kinds of things in her eyes, love and determination and curiosity, but now all she sees is anger. Dia's quiet voice stalls the anger inside Libby, and Libby relaxes into the wall behind her, shoving her hands into her pockets. She didn't mean to yell at Dia. She didn't mean to get angry at all.
Libby stares, shocked, as tears touch Dia's cheeks. Libby hasn't seen her cry in such a long time. Dia sniffs, and gulps, and tries to sound normal, but she doesn't.
"I . . . I don't know. I'm sorry." She says, choking on each word. "Okay?"
"Let's just get the carriage ride." Libby coldly says, turning away.
She heads down the steps without looking back to see if Dia will follow, because she knows she will. Dia wipes her cheeks with her palms and walks down after her. She watches Libby's black braid until they reach the Whiterun Stables.
As they climb into the carriage, Libby sits on one side, propping her feet up on the other. She pulls her hood over her head and rests her head back. Signaling she doesn't want to talk. Dia fiddles with her hands and settles with sharpening her knife.