Mentors Ailiea and Railiea

-Draco

"That's a fine piece of armour, Draco." The local smith praised me, looking over the Steel Armour I had just made.

We've had to make a lot of armour and swords lately, in preparation for the upcoming war with the Forsworn army. Word has it that the Forsworn have made a temporary camp just north of a local farm. I'm sure that the local Fletcher hasn't had an easy time, either.

It's been two days since our Mentors, Ailiea and Railiea returned to Markarth from a 'business' trip to the East Empire Trading company. Vela and I were meant to restart our training. I was still fairly practised with my sword, but Vela was lacking with her rapier, because she had been focusing a lot on magic lately.

Just as I was reluctantly make yet another sword, a courier got to our stall.

"Sir Draco, the Jarl wants to see you at once!" They said hurriedly, before disappearing back into the city.

"You'd better go Draco. You shouldn't keep the Jarl waiting for too long."

I set aside the raw materials I was about to use, and headed towards the Understone Keep. As I walk past Silver-Blood Inn, Vela stepped out, causing us to collide into each other and for both of us to fall to the ground.

"Watch where you're going!" Vela shouted at me angrily as she stood up from the ground.

Brushing her outburst aside, I asked her "Were you summoned by the Jarl as well?".

"Yes, I have." She said, brushing some slight dust off of her breaches before setting of towards the keep.

"Why do you think he sent for us personally?" Vela asked me, slight concern in her voice.

"I'm not sure," I replied "but it's probably about either our mentors returning or our positions in the siege."

"Or both!" Vela pointed out, hopping over a puddle of – whatever that was.

"Why do the call it 'Understone Keep' if its partially up a mountain?" Vela asked me.

"I'm not sure, but it's probably to do with the Nchuand-Zel ruins." I replied, starting to climb the stairs that led to the doors of the keep.

"Probably." She muttered, also beginning to climb the staircase.

As we reached the stairs, one of the Markarth guards pushed the humongous doors open for us. Hardly something that needed to be done, because I was strong enough to do it for both Vela and I.

As we stepped through the doors, I took in the site around me.

I hadn't been to Understone keep since I was six, which was eight years ago. I had almost forgotten the beautiful gold of the Dwemer decorations that was placed beautifully around the keep. It was a lot lighter than I remembered, probably due to the noticeable change in the amount of torches placed strategically around the keep. As I began to climb up the stairs that led to were the Jarl ruled over the Reach and its citizens, I wearily eyed the Dwarven Spheres that seemed to stand guard over the keep. They looked like the could just spring to life at any moment and slice me in half at any moment. A terrifying thought.

As I approached Jarl Igmund, I noticed that father was there, as well as our mentors, Ailiea and Railiea.

Ailiea, a female High Elf hailing from solitude was my mentor. She was as good as any seasoned male warrior, but most probably better.

Railiea, Vela's teacher, was also a female High Elf hailing from Whiterun. She was a dangerous magician as well as magic user, much like Vela.

"Jarl." Both Vela and I acknowledged his presence before he stood up to greet us as well.

"Draco! Vela! It's been a while!" Jarl Igmund replied to us jovially. "One year is one to many."

I never understood the reason father, Ailiea and Railiea had such a close connection to the Jarl. I never questioned it (until now) because I had grown up knowing this.

"We are here to discuss your tutoring before the anticipated war." Jarl Igmund said as he sat down, trying to get comfortable on his seat. Vela and I followed suit, sitting down on two of the chairs that were situated at a table – a new addition to the keep.

"We need to train you as per usual, and also to fit your roles in the battle."Ailiea said in her heavy Altmerian accent.

"We also need to adjust your working times at the Inn and the Forge to fit in this training." Railiea said in her slightly faded Altmerian accent.

"I've talked it over with their bosses, and both of them were reluctant but ready to give them this spare time off." Father stated, taking a sip of Ale from a goblet on the table.

"Now, obviously, Vela, I have assigned you to work within the city distributing resources and supplies back and forth from the keep and various locations. This job should be safe, unless the walls are breached, which hopefully wont happen. But you Draco, are tasked with a more dangerous position. You were tasked with the defense of the nearest windmill, about a minutes walk from here. It should be safe, if our armies do manage to defend the mines and all areas beyond successfully. Neither of you have to help in these positions, but if not you will have to help defend the women and children in this keep, if anything extremely bad happens." Jarl Igmund explained, taking a few sips of ale in between.

"I fully accept my position." Vela said, brushing aside some hair that was in her face.

"I do too." I also said, feeling the weight of my position two months from now bearing down on me.

"Good." Jarl Igmund replied, reclining into his seat whilst quaffing the rest of his ale.

"Your training starts tomorrow. Oh, and, could you please pass me some more ale on your way out?"