"Small Changes"
Description: Johanna and Marshall see Whiterun changing under Henry's rule. Eleasa worries about her brother. Junia Floras tries to make peace with her rival. Pavel gets raise in Riften, leaving Dorian and the gang in shock.
Part 1: Whiterun (The Streets)
Johanna and Marshall had sweaty faces even though the day was cool. Their friend, Edmund, was with them playing tag. The spirit of competition ran high as Johanna and Edmund ran fastly away from Marshall, who was "it".
"Come on, mage! Catch us if you can!" yelled Johanna without daring to turn back.
Edmund laughed at this, still running with Johanna. Johanna thought she had the upper hand in the game when she suddenly tripped over a rock on the floor and fell on the ground. Edmund stopped abruptly to see if Johanna was hurt but Johanna was trying to get up fast so Marshall wouldn't ta-.
"You're it!" said Marshall as he tapped Johanna who was still getting up.
"Damn it" Johanna said.
She got up and dusted off her clothes.
"Are you okay?" asked Edmund, panting.
"Not anymore now that I'm it" said Johanna, who was also panting.
They took a moment to catch their breath.
"Can we stop for a while?" asked Marshall "I'm tired"
Johanna dismissed this.
"What's the matter? Afraid you'll get tagged?" asked Johanna
"I'm tired" Marshall repeated
"Me too" said Edmund
"Fine" said Johanna "We can stop"
It had been about a month since most of the Cromwell family left for the Blue Palace. Johanna and Marshall had been missing their family for a while, but found comfort knowing that they will be back as soon as they can. They just started to follow their routine again, going to lessons, playing in the streets, eating with their uncle at dinner.
Johanna, Marshall, and Edmund found themselves walking towards the marketplace, where Edmund's father worked. Edmund was not rich at all with his father working as a fruit salesman but they did have a house and Edmund was happy with that.
"Do you think the fruit shipment came in?" asked Johanna
"Probably" said Edmund "It was supposed to come this morning"
"Good" said Johanna "I'm hungry for fresh fruit"
They came to the circular market in Whiterun. They all stopped in their tracks. They had passed through this market too many times to count in their lives. It always had bustling people in them, with plentiful amount of products in the stands. But today it was not. Half of the stands were bare of any food. The marketplace only had a couple of customers browsing the area. And there was this strange wooden thing set up on the stone ground that had three whole coming out of it that was never there before.
"What is all of this?" asked Marshall
Johanna and Edmund were just as startled as he was.
"I don't know" said Johanna
They started walking around until they saw Edmund's father, Milton, at his usual spot. He looked up and gave them a sad smile. They jogged over with worried looks.
"Father, what's happened?" asked Edmund
"Why is your stand empty?" asked Johanna
"Everything is fine" said Milton "We just did not get our food shipments this week"
"Why?" asked Marshall
Milton scratched his head.
"Someone told me it was because the new jarl had a disagreement with the farmers who sold the food to Whiterun. They told me that he forbade Whiterun ever buying from them again" said Milton "But no need to worry! I think he is working on buying from someone else right now"
"This makes no sense" said Johanna
Never had this happened in Whiterun. It was one thing to have a disagreement with the farmers, but to raise this wooden thing in the square and to clean out half out the stands in the city? That was another matter entirely.
"What is that?" asked Marshall as he pointed to the wooden thing.
"They call it a pillory" said Milton
"What does it do? When did it come up?" asked Johanna
"It got put up late last night I heard" said Milton "But I'm not sure what it does"
Edmund crossed his arms.
"Don't worry yourselves over this" said Milton "Run along now"
Edmund, Johanna, and Marshall reluctantly left. They went up the stone staircase that connected the market to another place in Whiterun. They walked until they came upon Gildergreen, a tree that stood tall in the middle of Whiterun. They all sat down at one of the benches surrounding the tree. Moments of silence passed when Johanna spoke up.
"What do you think is going on?" she asked
"I don't know" Marshall "This is strange though"
"Maybe my father is right" said Edmund "About us not having to worry"
"You really believe that?" asked Johanna
"This might be resolved in a week for all we know" said Edmund "Maybe we should just wait and see"
Johanna sighed.
"Maybe you're right" said Johanna
But it seemed as though despite their hopes, there was something in Whiterun that was changing. Something that would not have happened if Alexander was still in Dragonsreach. Whether the children liked it or not, they knew that they had to help in any way they can before the rest of the Cromwells came back. They all mentally braced themselves for what was sure to be a difficult couple of weeks.
Part 2: The Blue Palace (Outside Of The Walls)
Elbert and Eleasa Valmont were always very close. From the moment they were brought out of the womb, they shared a connection that ran deeper than the rivers in the fields of Whiterun. But Eleasa felt like for the first time, they were not that close anymore. It had been a few days more than a month since their father had died and so much has happened. The jarls came and Elbert will be king soon. As long as Eleasa ached for how life was before, she knew it would never happened.
Eleasa walked outside of the main gate of the Blue Palace to see Elbert sitting on a bench a few feet away with the same blank expression he has had for weeks. Eleasa walked over to him.
"Hello" she said
Elbert looked up at her.
"Hello" he echoed
She sat down next to him. It felt good to spend some time with him before the coronation rehearsals started.
"That's a nice dress" said Elbert
"Oh" Eleasa said as she looked at her dress "Thank you"
Now that Eleasa was part of the permanent royal family, it was her job to look the part. Before she would wear fashion that wellfully made but still had a certain plain look. Now her mother wanted her to wear gowns made from the finest seamstresses in all of Skyrim. She was clad in a purple silk gown with golden accents. As much as it was comfortable and pretty, it was not what Eleasa wanted.
"Are you wearing that to the coronation?" asked Elbert. His voice was so monotone now.
"No" said Eleasa "Mother has a new gown for me"
They sat in silence for a while but Eleasa broke to ask a burning question.
"Do you want to be king?" asked Eleasa
Elbert raised his eyebrow.
"It's my right. Father sat on the throne and so will I"
"But do you want to?" asked Eleasa
Elbert paused.
"Of course" said Elbert
Eleasa scoffed at her brother. Why was he not saying the truth?
"What?" asked Elbert
"Do not pretend everything is fine when it isn't" said Eleasa
"What do you want Eleasa?" said Elbert with his voice rising higher "I already said how I felt so leave it alone"
Eleasa sighed and they entered another pause.
"I'm sorry" Elbert said "It's just been hard since father passed"
"I know" said Eleasa "With everything that's going on, I see you slipping away. I'm worried about you"
"I'll be okay"
"I hope so" said Eleasa "You'll be a good king"
"You think so?"
"I do"
Elbert then embraced was as if they were both craving for some type of stability in this difficult time. Their pain ached with grief and exhaustion, but they did have each other. They stopped their embrace and went back to sitting next to each other.
Eleasa looked at the city of Solitude. It was the morning and the air was crisp and cool, it was truly fall now. She looked at the road and remembered when her and Elbert would play and get dirt all over them. Their mother hated it when they got filth on the palace floors, but their father laughed and would take them to the bath. She remembered when their childhood friends and her would walk the streets and eat fruit from the stands. Her favorite were red apples, which were typically in massive supply now. But Eleasa has not had much time to get the fruit herself, which is how she preferred to do it. All these memories bounced around her mind but this was no time to think about the past but the future. Whatif her brother was not "king" material? What if the province would collapse upon itself? Will anything in her life be normal again? Eleasa looked at her brother.
"Can you promise me something?" asked Eleasa
Elbert looked at her, awaiting what she had to say.
"When you become High King, I don't want to lose you. Just promise me you'll be the same person. You will not change from the brother I know"
Elbert looked down at his lap.
"Of course" he said
Eleasa smiled to herself and got up. She had to work on her studies for a while but she wanted to talk to Elbert again today, before he sits on throne. Eleasa knew enough about Skyrim's history that a crown might put them in more danger than war.
Part 3: The Blue Palace (The Gardens)
The gardens of the Blue Palace was below the ledge that Erika Andersen was on. She was sitting at a stone bench on a table that had another bench on the opposite side, thinking. This weather was unlike her home in Winterhold and the years made her favor the cold blizzard that stayed in the city all year. But she had been here for about ten days and she was already sick of it. The beautiful stone walls of the Blue Palace did not disguise it's danger, not to her. The sooner she could take her son back to Winterhold, the better.
She sipped alto wine from a goblet and stared out into the garden when footsteps started approaching. She looked up, not knowing who to expect. It was none other than Junia Floras, jarl of Markarth, with her brat daughter. Why was she here? House Andersen and House Floras has had an ongoing feud for years.
Junia came at a curt stop a foot away from the table.
"Jarl Erika" said Junia
Erika did not feel like saying anything back so she just lifted her goblet slightly in greeting.
"It's a beautiful da-" started Junia
"Why are you here?" asked Erika, cutting her off.
"Don't talk to my mother like that, hag!" shouted Olivia. She had to be ten or eleven but either way, her voiced was high and loud.
Junia looked visibly annoyed.
"Olivia, run along" said Junia
"Fine mother" said Olivia. She trotted away and Junia sat down.
"I'm here to talk" said Junia
"About what? We have nothing to speak about" said Erika
Junia paused.
"A jarl should know a jarl's courtesy" said Junia
"A jarl should know to leave another jarl alone" Erika countered "But you come to another part of the palace to talk. Why?"
Junia looked at Erika intensely but Erika was not worried. Junia was a woman with no bite, all bark. Junia spoke.
"I want to end our feud, Jarl Erika" said Junia
Erika rolled her eyes.
"We are not alike, you and I" said Junia
"I'm glad" said Erika
"As am I. I am not asking for us to be friends"
"Then what are you asking?"
"A truce"
Erika was taken aback. A truce? Why? Junia Floras was a weak woman, but Erika never thought that she would ask for a truce. Erika would not fall for it.
"I think not" said Erika
"Why not?" asked Junia
"Because I don't like you and I never will. We only have to see each other at this moment for the coronation, I am not interested in anything else that involves you" said Erika
"You rule over Winterhold, I rule over Markarth. We could make a powerful alliance should we ever need help" said Junia
"Ah I see"
"What are you talking about?"
"Some of the jarls went to the king for help before, why not go to him in the future?"
"This is not abou-"
"You don't think House Valmont could stay in power successfully, do you?
Junia pursed her lips and paused.
"My my, I never thought your loyalty would waver so easily" said Erika
"All I am doing is making a proposal" said Junia
"And I'm denying your proposal" said Erika flatly
"A foolish mistake. Your city is a frozen wasteland, it would be wise to have an ally outside of the new monarchy"
"If you really thought that you would have voted against Selene" said Erika "Leave Junia"
Junia was sizzling from rage.
"You're making a mistake" said Junia
"I'm not. I am perfectly capable of taking care of my own city, unlike you. So you and that daughter of yours can leave me and my family alone" said Erika
Junia got up fastly.
"Then may your city freeze to death, Jarl Erika" said Junia.
Junia turned around a left quickly. Erika raised her goblet again and took another sip of her wine.
Part 4: The Blue Palace (Another Part Of The Palace)
Pavel Rostova's laugh bellowed loudly throughout the halls. He was sure that everyone from Falkreath to Windhelm could hear him. But how else could he react when his son Antoine compared Graham Black's skin to an autumn squash. He was walking with Anastasia and Antoine in the palace, taking in some of the beauties in the toxic place.
Pavel has always been close to his children. He knew a lot about them and they could trust each other. It was the other jarls he had to worry about.
"Father, when will the coronation be?" asked Antoine
"In a month or so" said Pavel
"Why so long?" asked Anastasia
"A lot goes into a king's coronation. The jarls are not the only important people in Skyrim, you know"
"I know that" said Anastasia "I just do not want to stay here for another month"
"You will" said Pavel "But the coronation does not end the Council. We may have to spend an even longer time here"
Anastasia loudly groaned.
Their talk was interrupted by the footsteps of none other than Graham and Georgina Black. The sullen faced couple were passing through the hall and stopped.
"Greetings, Jarl Rostova" said Graham in an obviously fake tone.
"What do you want" Pavel said almost immediately
"Can't I greet a fellow Jarl in power on this glorious day?" asked Graham
Pavel scoffed.
"Jarl Pavel" Georgina said as she curtseyed.
"Lady…" Pavel started.
"Georgina" she said.
"Right" Pavel said as he bowed.
An awkward pause ensued that Graham broke.
"Your children are grown, do you plan to arrange marriages?" Asked Graham
"If I do, it won't be with your house" said Pavel
"I was not intending to ask" said Graham
"Good. I will take my leave then" said Pavel "Antoine, Anastasia, come"
The twins followed their father in the way they came. Before they left, Anastasia had an idea and turned around to stick her tongue out at House Black. Graham and Georgina wore looks of confusion and anger and House Rostova walked away from them, knowing they had been defeated.
Part 5: Riften (The Streets)
"Catch" Dorian said as he threw a berry in the air.
Etta had a look of determination and opened her mouth and caught it. Dorian laughed and she chewed the berry and swallowed it. She smiled.
Dorian, Etta, Immanuel, and Miriana had decided to get out of the Guild for a day. It was a beautiful day in Riften, and amazing break from the mist that usually creeped through the city. They planned on going outside of the city walls to have a picnic while the sun was still shining. So onto the marketplace they went, Dorian thought if he could steal Akeem for a few hours he could come to. Immanuel, Mariana, and Etta had met Akeem in the past so it did not make Dorian nervous at all.
"So Etta" Miriana said "How are your lessons going?"
"Pretty well. I think I'm finally getting good" said Etta.
"She is" Immanuel agreed.
Etta smiled at this validation and they continued walking.
Dorian was also in a good mood. Everything seemed to be okay right now. Etta's lessons were going good. Immanuel and him have been closer ever since he agreed to let him train Etta. Miriana was alive and well. And he was about to see Akeem.
"So…. you and Akeem" said Immanuel
Etta and Miriana looked at Dorian, certain that he would say something about his lover. Dorian loved Akeem but he didn't speak about him as much as he should. Dorian smiled.
"What about it?" Dorian asked gleefully
"He's practically swooning at the sound of his name" said Miriana to Immanuel and Etta.
"Of course he is. He's glowing" said Immanuel
"Don't say anything stupid today" Dorian told the group
"Stupid? Whatever do you mean?" asked Etta
Miriana and Immanuel laughed while Dorian smiled. They were nearing the marketplace but the air was silent. Dorian was taken aback. It was mid-afternoon, why wasn't the market bustling with people buying products and food like it always was?
Dorian looked at the rest of the group. They too had curious looks on their face.
"Is there something wrong?" Dorian asked
Immanuel opened his mouth like he going to respond but all Dorian heard was the sound a scream. A shrill scream of a girl, coming from the marketplace. Dorian knew what to do.
"Etta, go back to the guild" said Dorian
"But-" Etta started
"Do what he says" said Immanuel
Etta obeyed. She turned around and made a light jog towards the Guild. Dorian did not want Etta to be a part of what ever was happening.
"Why did you do that?" asked Miriana "We should leave too. Now"
"I need to make sure Akeem is alright" Dorian said
Miriana nodded in understanding. The three of them jogged toward the marketplace. Dorian turned the corner and say a small semi circle of people around what looked like a teenage girl. She was wearing tattered clothes stained with her own blood. The man standing over her was a Riften guard. Did he beat her? Dorian thought so. The girl was alive but her face had many bruises on it, forming bloody welts on her face. Her cries were the only thing providing noise on the market.
There was a woman standing next to the guard, her arms were crossed and her face was angry. Dorian knew this woman. She was Josephine, a food seller, and Akeem's mother. A bitter woman who knew nothing about Akeem, just that he was her son.
Dorian then saw Akeem off to the side. His face suggested that the scene made him uneasy. Dorian knew he had no part of this. But what did the teenage girl do that warranted this abuse?
"Stop!" Cried a girl.
The orphan Phoebe materialized from the crowd. She ran her tiny legs over to the teenage girl.
"Please stop!" Said Phoebe
Immanuel turned his body towards Dorian.
"Dorian…" started Immanuel
"Wait" said Dorian
He turned his attention back to Phoebe.
"Step away little girl" said the guard
"Listen to what he says" Josephine said
Dorian felt his fist ball up.
"Please stop! She'll die! She's an orphan and my friend!" said Phoebe
"Move" the guard said sullenly. The child stayed.
The guard raised his hand and Dorian, without knowing what he was doing, bolted in Phoebe's direction. It all went so fast that Dorian could not defend himself by the time he got in front of Phoebe and felt the full impact of the hit on his face.
Some people were gasping, some people were crying out his name. Probably Miriana and Akeem or Immanuel.
"Dorian!" said Phoebe behind him.
The swelling began immediately. A lump appeared near Dorian's eyes and the impact of the hit almost made him fall in pain like the teenage girl behind him. This was not caused by the gauntlets of a random guard, these ones hurt too much. Were his gloves studded? It was hard to see out of his right eye but Dorian still stood, walling himself in front of Phoebe.
"Move. Aside." said the guard.
Dorian stood still, a tear coming out in pain.
The guard was reaching for his sword when Immanuel and Miriana came by Dorian's side, begging the guard to stop.
"You all are interfering in my orders!" the guard yelled
"Orders from who?" asked Dorian
"What is the meaning of this!" yelled a voice from behind the guard. The guard turned and a few yards away was a man in fine clothing.
"My jarl!" said the guard.
Garrett Dreshner was the son of the jarl who left, Sherman Dreshner. The asshole was known as one around Riften, not that anyone would say it if he was near. But beating an orphan teenager? That was madness. This never happened in Riften before, at least not when Dorian was alive.
"Who is this?" Garrett asked the guard
"Just a peasant" said the guard
"What happened here?" asked Garrett
"These people were interfering with your orders. We were punishing a thief, who stole from this woman" said the guard
Josephine, who was the said woman, nodded.
"It's true" said Josephine.
Garrett turned his attention to Dorian and the rest of them.
"Thieves in this city will not be tolerated. You have no business being here. So leave" said Garrett
"No" said Dorian
"No?" asked Garrett angrily.
"I mean, please" Dorian said "If this continues, she'll die. She's only an orphan"
Garrett's expression did not change. He was angry at this disobediance. Dorian did not care. He stood in front of Garrett, Josephine, and the guard tall.
Garrett's look suddenly changed.
"You're right" said Garrett
Dorian looked at Garrett curiously. Garrett looked at the guard.
"The peasant is right. Take the girl to the dungeon, where she will answer for her crimes against our city" said Garrett
"What?" Dorian exclaimed
The guard shoved Dorian to the ground so he could move and immediately Miriana, Immanuel, and Phoebe rushed to his side.
"Wait" Dorian said feebly. But it was too late. The barely breathing girl was taken up by the guard and taken in the direction of Mistveil Keep.
The last thing Dorian saw was the worried looks of his friends hovering above him. He could see Akeem approaching him from a distance. His sad face was what Dorian saw right before he passed out.