Ch 9- The Golden Claw
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It was a stormy afternoon in the capital city of Solitude, mirroring the Imperial generals dark mood as he entered the dimly lit, drafty halls of the castle dour, leaving Captain Aldis outside to continue drilling with the trainees despite the dreary weather- In his experience, it was better if the men could learn to perform in harsh conditions anyway, to better prepare them for Skyrims less hospitable climates as they entered the field. As such, he felt no pity in leaving them to complete their daily regimen as he carried on with his own list of to do's.
Dutifully, he marched through the empty parlors and barracks, leaving a trail of muddy footprints behind him on the simple red carpets that warmed the old stone floor as he made his way to the war room- unlike the blue palace, the castle dour was built with practicality in mind instead of grandeur, making it far less luxurious by comparison. Here, no tapestries or paintings adorned the walls, no vases filled with flowers decorated the halls, and the bricks beneath his feet were rough and unpolished. In keeping with the design, Few windows had been installed in the building of the structure, allowing very little natural light to filter inside from the narrow glass panels that had been placed high up, at sparring intervals to make it less easy for captives to escape.
To say the atmosphere was depressing, he thought, would have been an understatement- but that alone wasn't what was souring the Generals mood...
"I'm telling you, Ulfrics planning an attack on whiterun!" His legate, Rikke, was insisting vehemently while marching close behind him, refusing to be ignored as they entered the small room where their private councils took place- He did not bother including the young Jarl, Elisif, or her own council in his sessions, preferring to keep his tactics and plans between him and his most trusted legates from Cyrodil. For now, the stakes were too high, and anyone native to the province could not be trusted, ally or not.
"He'd be insane to try." Tullius declared dispassionately, dismissing her concerns with a bitter edge to his voice. " He doesn't have the men."
As the door closed behind them, Rikke rounded on him, chin raising in defiance as she continued to argue, refusing to be put off- They had come too far, and too much was at stake now for her to allow Tullius's pride to get the better of him now.
"Thats not what my scouts report, sir." She informed sternly. "Every day more join his cause- Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold all support his claim."
Coming to stand at the far end of the war table in the middle of the room, where a large map of the province had been laid out and meticulously adorned with carved figures that represented their, and the enemies respective positions across the holds, he shot her a sharp look in response to her dichotomy.
"Its not a cause, its a rebellion." he reminded his legate sternly, internally roiling in in response to the frustrating reminder that their odds of victory were waning- Riften had been the last hold to declare for Ulfric, and though he couldn't say he was surprised that the ill reputed skeever hole of a city had betrayed the empire, he had been disappointed by the news. Now, he could only hope the holds most prominent aristocrats- characters like Maven Blackbriar, and Vulwulf SnowShod- would continue to cooperate and do business with Solitude, and the rest of the Empire. If not, it could cripple their supply lines, and further stunt the war effort...
"Call it whatever you like, General- The man is going to try to take Whiterun."
Gritting his teeth in response to her persistence, Tullius closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, feeling as though he was developing a migraine.
"...Jarl Balgruuf-" He began to protest, only to be cut off by the legate.
"-Jarl Balgruuf refuses the legions right to garrison troops in his hold- But, on the other hand, he also refuses to acknowledge Ulfrics claim." She reminded him pointedly, as she had the first time they had discussed the Jarls refusal to cooperate some time ago.
Sighing heavily, Tullius nodded a wordless affirmation at her words, putting both hands on the table top as he leaned against it, scowling down at the map stretched out before him- In hopes of securing the commercial heart of Skyrim, Tullius had sent several letters to its stubborn Jarl, Balgruuf, requesting permission to garrison troops within fort Greymoor outside Whiteruns walls- all of which, had gone unanswered.
Normally, Tullius would have declared the Jarl's silence as an act of disobedience toward the empire, and acted accordingly to take the city by force- but as things stood, he was precious low on men, and couldn't afford to move against Whiterun. So, for the moment, as long as Balgruuf continued to deny Ulfric's claim and declare for one side or the other, he had resolved things to remain as they were...
"Well, if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine- let Ulfric pillage his city!" He declared bitterly, letting his anger get the better of him and earning a shocked look from Rikke.
"General!" She exclaimed in response to his outburst, giving him a sharp look of disapproval that left him feeling childish. Anger momentarily subsiding, Tullius gave her a reproachful look, exhausted by Skyrim's nords and their backward ways.
"You people and your damn Jarls..." He grumbled under his breath, looking away from her to scowl in frustration at the wall.
Brows furrowing, Rikke crossed her arms as she came to stand at beside him at the corner of the table, leaning in to recapture his gaze.
"Sir, you cant force a nord to accept help he hasnt asked for." She told him firmly, urging him to act- but to act with diplomacy. Balgruuf, she knew, had grown up in a time where Skyrim and the Empire had lived- and fought- together, and she had faith that in the end he would make the right choice for his people, and continue to stand with the Empire.
A long moment of silence ensued between them as Tullius looked back down at the map, considering the white horse of Whiterun carefully with a serious expression. Taking his time, the General mulled over his options, before at last moving to place a firm finger over the cities depiction and lifting his gaze back to her expectant one.
"If Ulfrics making a move for Whiterun, than we need to be there to stop him." He announced at last, causing Rikke to nearly sigh with releif as he gave into her argument. " Draft another letter with the usual platitudes- but this time share some of our intelligence regarding Ulfrics plans. Embellish if you have to... We'll let it seem like its his idea." He instructed conspiratorially, causing her to smile a little.
Straightening, Rikke gave the sour man a quick salute, before moving toward the smaller table nestled in the corner of the room, where a few rolls of parchment, as well as a quill and inkwell had been provided.
"Yes sir." She answered readily, sounding almost smug to his ears- In response to her tone, Tullius's Eyes narrowed shrewdly, and he shot her a disparaging look.
"...You Nords and your bloody sense of honor."
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As the storm continued to gather across the province, Balgruuf the greater sat upon the throne of Whiterun, listening to the concerns of his court, waiting somewhat impatiently for the days obligations to end so that he could retire to his courters for the night.
"My lord, our provisions are running dangerously low." His steward, Proventus Avenicci, informed him timidly as he took his turn at voicing his concerns. "Our stores of meat, wine and grain are all but depleted..."
Brows furrowing, the Jarl gave him a tepid look.
"Purchase more supplies, then." He responded sharply, annoyed by the imperial's insistence on involving him in such trivial matters. " Thats your job as steward, isnt it? Why do you trouble me with these details?"
Taken aback by his lieges ire, Proventus hesitated before continuing, wary of the larger mans temper but knowing he must be made aware of the situation.
"...My lord, since Ulfric Stormcloaks uprising, the cost of goods has doubled- ill need more coin if i am to provision us properly." He revealed dutifully, mentally bracing himself for the Jarls reaction to the request- To his surprise, Balgruuf didn't react with the incredulity he had expected- instead, he sat back heavily in his seat and sighed at the unfortunate inconvenience...
"Our coffers are nearly empty." He informed the court in serious tones, looking suddenly very tired. "I can scarce afford to pay the guards, and we need every one of them in these troubled times...My apologies, Proventus- but You'll have to find a way to make do with what we have."
Lips pressing into a hard line, the unconfident steward nodded obediently at the Jarls words, still unsure with how to proceed.
"Yes, my lord..." He affirmed meekly then, as the Hrongar and Irileth shared a meaningful look of reproach in response to the unsettling news regarding the palace's wealth.
"Is there something else?" The impatient nord asked after a moment, when the hesitant steward didn't dismiss himself immediately.
"Yes my lord- Its, well...One of the servants has had a wonderful idea, to fireproof Dragonsreach, in case of attack by, um...Air."
Giving the man a withering look, Balgruuf scoffed- Such schemes were the duty of the court wizard to carry out, not his house steward, and certainly not the servants.
"Damnit Proventus, you are my Steward. Your job is to offer me council- this? This is not council. Begone now." He ordered harshly, causing the mans face to fall as he stepped away from the throne to take his place at the sideboard...
"Anyone else have any concerns to bring before the council?" The jarl asked dispassionately, hoping to adjourn for the day. "...No? Good."
Rising from his seat, he was just about to make a break for the stairs, hoping to find his dinner before it could grow cold- His children, Frothar, Dagni, and Nelkir had already supped for the night, so he was looking forward to enjoying a quiet meal by himself alone in his study.
"Balgruuf!" A booming voice interrupted his hasty departure, delaying the Jarl further. Pausing at the sound of his name, Balgruuf looked out across the long hall begrudgingly to watch as the esteemed lord Vignar Greymane approached the throne with a determined expression, commanding the attention of every man present- Including that of Idolaf Battleborn, who paused his own muted conversation with Nazeem at the long table to leer at his arrival.
"Vignar- to what do i owe the honor of your presence in my hall?" He addressed the decorated warrior politely as he came to stand before him at the base of the steps leading up to the throne- being an esteemed member of the Companions inner circle and a veteran of the great war, the head of house Greymane was held in high regards amongst the citizens of Whiterun, and he was careful to address him with the respect his station demanded.
"It is not pleasure that brings me here to stand before you, but duty." The older nord revealed sternly, causing the Jarls belly to tighten in apprehension. " I have come to ask you where you stand in the war, and urge you to reinstate your peoples right to worship Talos in Skyrim!"
Brows furrowing, Balgruuf regarded Vignar cautiously , caught off guard by his sudden- though not unexpected- demand. After all, House Greymanes devotion to Talos was common knowledge in Whiterun...
"I stand where i have always stood- with Whiterun." He answered carefully, attempting to side step the question that could jeopardize his place as the ruler of the hold, and cause his men to denounce him. "And to address your demands...I wont say it again, Vignar; Talos worship is forbidden- Its the Empires law, and we are still a part of the Empire. "
Bristling at his words, Vignar gave the Jarl an icy look before taking a bold step forward, placing himself just out of swords reach from the younger man- At that moment, he was acutely aware of the danger he was in, as his brother and housecarl, Hrongar, and the ever present Irileth, moved to stand protectively between them.
"A law made at the tip of an Aldmeri sword, aye- A sword stained red with nord blood. Is this what our people fought and died for in the great war? To forsake our most beloved ancestor and divine?" He continued to challenge stubbornly, causing the Jarls patience to waver as he publicly questioned his own integrity as a nord in the presence of his council and court.
Gritting his teeth, Balgruuf struggled to retain composure- If he had any hope of clinging to power, and his position as Jarl, he knew it was vital that he remained calm in the face of adversity, and remained nuetral as hostilities progressed...Even if it meant imposing laws he did not inherently agree with, in the meantime.
"Im no happier about this than you are," He answered Vignar honestly then, knowing full well the rumors surrounding his own alleged worship of the forbidden Divine. " but I dont want to see the Thalmor rounding up people in the streets and throwing them into prison! Are you so eager to set neighbor against neighbor, and brother against brother?"
Eyes narrowing, Vignar ignored his liege's passionate response, choosing instead to deflect it with another question of his own.
"So, your loyalties lie with the Thalmor then?" He accused brazenly, seeking to provoke him further to anger in the hopes that he would take action against him.
Straightening in his seat, Balgruuf looked down at the old warrior with obvious contempt, seething in response to his insolence and insubordination- If it wouldn't have painted him as a sure hypocrite, and openly outed him as an enemy of the Dominion, he would have told the pompous old man exactly what he thought of the damned elves, and their blasted laws.
"I warn you Graymane, you are treading on dangerous ground..." He growled through clenched teeth, feeling his blood pressure spike.
In response to his tone, Vignar met the Jarls contempt with equal fervor.
"Dont threaten me boy!" He barked back fearlessly, matching the ire directed at him from his liege lord. " You're either a nord who respects our traditions, or you're not- If not, it isnt me you'll have to answer to, but the people of this city and hold!"
As he spoke out against the Jarl, there was an uproar of protest from the onlooking members of the court.
"How dare you presume to speak to the Jarl like that!" Irileth chastised the nord lord indignantly, palming the pommel of her blade.
"He speaks treason- Put him in chains!" Idolaf Battleborn called out from the table.
"SILENCE!" The Jarl shouted above the commotion, causing the room to quiet once more.
Still standing, he pointed to the door at the end of the long hall, nostrils flaring as he prepared to dismiss the infuriating man before he could do something he would later regret- Taking action against Vignar would only cause an uproar within the city, and inevitably destroy his relationship with house Greymane, as well as the Companions, who he relied on heavily to defend the walls...
"You..." He hissed, barely able to conceal his rage now as he addressed the other man. "No doubt you came here today hoping to provoke me- but I refuse to give Ulfric a martyr to further legitimize his cause! Leave this hall- Now. Or i will have my men escort you back to Jorvaskre, and see to it that Kodlak keeps you there until you've learned your place!"
As he spoke, Balgruufs men edged closer slowly, prepared to carry out the Jarls will. To his surprise, Vignar seemed to size them up- and for a moment it appeared as if the proud nord might try to engage them, before finally thinking better of his actions, and turning reluctantly away to make his exit.
"Fine!" He exclaimed, casting a long look around the room to fix the nords present with a look of disgust. " But im Telling you Balgruuf, you cant stay out of the war forever! Your day of reckoning is coming, and it will be here sooner than you think!"
Keeping silent, the jarl allowed the other man to have the last word as he watched him depart. After he had gone, the room remained deathly still for the span of a few long, tense moments before Balgruuf dismissed himself wordlessly from the room.
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Idrissa was soaked when she reached the bridge leading into Riverwood, at the top of the White River falls. It had been raining since her departure from Whiterun earlier that morning, leaving her cold and miserable as she passed through the north gate- which she was pleased to see was being properly manned since her last visit to the quiet alpine village...It was good to see Irileth had wasted no time in sending extra soldiers to protect the little town.
Already weary, and eager to be out of the weather, she trudged directly down the main street, headed for the general goods store Gurder had mentioned when last they spoke- If she had any hope of making the climb to Bleakfalls barrow, and surviving the harsh mountain weather, she knew she would have to stock up on trail stable food items, and outfit herself with extra furs to ward off the cold once she reached high altitude.
Pausing at the front of the little shop just across from Alvor's Smithy, Idrissa took a moment to cast a curious look toward the lumber mill, wondering if Ralof had moved on yet- If Ulfric had not found him, she doubted the zealous nord warrior would have waited around long before returning to Windhelm on his own, But, Since it was her hope to be half way up the mountain before nightfall, she couldn't take the time to check...
Heaving a small sigh, the determined nord woman turned back to the task at hand then, pushing open the little door to the shop. Stepping inside, she was started by the unexpected sound of raised voices as she interrupted the huts two occupants, engaged in a tense verbal argument- Not knowing quite what to do, she waited politely by the door, allowing them time to finish, and acknowledge her presence.
"Well, one of us has to do something!" A curvy, buxom young woman with thick cascades of long chestnut hair, and big brown doe eyes was telling an older man posted behind the shop counter. They were both of imperial heritage, with average builds and olive toned skin- and even if they hadn't been bickering like an old married couple, it was obvious from their coloring and similar facial features that the pair was closely related.
"I said no!" The man exclaimed loudly in protest to whatever it was they had been discussing. "No adventures, no theatrics, and no thief chasing!"
Exasperated, the woman made an incredulous gesture, shaking her head at the man as he turned away from her to hang a swatch of dried herbs on the wall behind the counter.
"Well, what are you going to do then, huh? lets hear it!" She demanded stubbornly, refusing to be ignored or to let the subject go- Frustrated, he shot her a sharp look of annoyance, unable to come up with a solution to whatever problem they were experiencing.
"We're done talking about this, Camilla- oh!" He gasped, finally noticing Idrissa as he turned back toward the doorway, where she waited patiently, listening with an intrigued expression. " A customer! Sorry you had to hear that..."
Unbothered, Idrissa waved away the apology, taking the opportunity to indulge her curiosity. "Its alright...Did something happen?" She asked then, before the subject could be changed.
Still embarrassed, the merchant grimaced at the question, but offered a reluctant explanation despite himself.
"Yes, we had a bit of a break in." He admitted, looking around his shop with a solemn expression. " Damn thieves...As if things weren't bad enough- We still have plenty for sale though. The robbers were only after one thing...an ornament I owned, made of solid gold, in the shape of a dragons claw."
"Thats unfortunate. Sounds like an expensive loss..." Idrissa admitted sympathetically, understanding the value of such an item. Heaving a heavy sigh, the man nodded sullenly in response.
"Indeed- I have some gold coming in from my last shipment though, for anyone that can retrieve it for me... If i had to guess, id say the thieves are holed up in Bleakfalls barrow, up the mountain just west of town..."
At the mention of the barrow, Idrissa started.
"Well then, its your lucky day." She exclaimed matter of factly, pale pink lips quirking as she offered up a friendly smile. "I happen to be headed that way on a mission for the Jarl's court wizard- If i find it, ill be sure to return it to you."
Blinking rapidly in disbelief at the convenient coincidence, the merchant took a moment to process her words before allowing himself to rejoice.
"You will? Thats wonderful- thank you!" He exclaimed victoriously, before his sister, Camilla, reminded him of her presence.
"So this is your plan then, lucan?" She questioned the merchant haughtily, crossing her arms over her ample bosom as she gave him a look of blatant disapproval- Eyes narrowing, his lips twisted into a smug smirk as he turned back to address her inquiry.
"Yes... So now you dont have to go, do you?"
Shifting her weight, Camilla slid Idrissa a sly, conspiratorial look before answering the merchant, whom Idrissa now knew was named Lucan.
"I dont know- i think our new friend here needs a guide..." She stated defiantly, grin widening as his face fell.
"Wh- no...I...Oh, by the eight, fine!" He amended reluctantly after a moment, when he could think of no good reason to deny her. "But only to the edge of town!"
Already familiar with the route she had to take, Idrissa momentarily considered refusing the other womans offer to accompany her, but then decided against it, not wanting to spoil her fun- so, after conducting business with Lucan briefly, and making sure her pack was sufficiently supplied, Idrissa allowed Camilla to join her outside, and lead her to the bridge outside of town.
Along the way, the playful imperial babbled conversationally about the claw, and the barrow that loomed over the valley.
"Those thieves must be mad, hiding out in the barrow- those old crypts are filled with nothing but traps, trolls, and who knows what else...I wonder why they only stole lucan's claw- I mean, we have plenty of things in the shop that are worth just as much coin."
Brows furrowing, Idrissa wondered at the significance of the ornament they had described- Such finely crafted items usually served a purpose in her experience, and were highly sought after by collectors, treasure hunters and thieves alike. If lucan had left such an item on display, it was little wonder someone had stolen it...
"...There must be some special significance to it then- What do you know about it?" She inquired conversationally; interest piqued.
"Not much, I'll admit. Lucan found the claw about a year after he opened the store, but never quite explained where he got it. He's a tricky one, my brother..."
Smiling slightly, Idrissa giggled inwardly at the statement- Characters like Lucan didnt usually come into possession of such expensive artifacts by chance, she knew. The most likely explanation for his acquisition of the claw, was that the lucrative merchant had stolen it himself- Why else would he not bother to tell his sister how he had come across it?
Not wanting to offend Camilla by accusing her brother of thievery, Idrissa thought it was best to keep that theory to herself though, for now...
Passing beneath the gate she had entered through for the second time that day, the pair came to a stop just before the wooden bridge that marked the end of town.
"As im sure you know, this is the bridge out of town- The path up the mountain to the northwest leads to the barrow. Mind you, there's an old, abandoned guard tower about halfway up- I'd make camp there, if i were you..."
"Thank you, I'll do that." Idrissa told the other woman appreciatively, giving her a polite smile as she prepared to take her leave.
" Right- I guess i should get back to my brother now." She exclaimed dryly, dipping into a shallow curtsey. " Hell throw a fit if im gone too long...such a child. Good luck stranger- lucan and i will be waiting for you back at the shop."
Idrissa nodded, and watched as Camilla turned on her heel, holding her skirts as she hurried back the way they had come. When she was alone once more, the determined nord woman turned to face her latest challenge, lifting her gaze skyward, where the gloomy clouds obscured the distant ruins.
Sending a silent prayer to Kynoreth to guide her feet along the way, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves before crossing over the bridge and continuing up the steep path carved into the rocky hillside. By now, the rain had abated somewhat, brightening her spirits considerably, and filling her with a sense of optimism she hadnt previously possessed. All that was left to do now, was put one foot in front of the other...
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Authors note
i starred at this chapter for several hours picking the original draft apart and adding important information and descriptions- in the days following its release, it will be subject to extensive editing as i try to clean it up, and get rid of repetitive words and over used adjectives. Thank you for your view, and please follow, favorite and leave a comment if you like the story to keep it relevant in the Elder Scrolls genre.