It was late when I arrived at the open gate of Rihad with a fraction of sun over the horizon. It was a welcoming sight to see the roaming citizens over the empty tree line I had stared at while trying to sleep. The crowds were thin, most moving boxes or merchandise to the many shops that were spread across the city. I got a few glances, only a couple seconds at most, before continuing on their way. I wouldn't stand out, as I had taken my armor off and kept my clothing on underneath it. I had a stop before I was going to give the scroll back to the Queen.
"Look who it is! I had almost given you up for dead, admittedly. It's good to see someone who hasn't succumbed to the problems of this world." The man who I had left my closest friend that had accompanied me started with an obvious point. I had been gone for at least two weeks, if not longer, and it was an actual surprise my companion was still being cared for. Others would have probably sold the steed for to anyone to make a profit.
"It's good to see someone who takes their profession clearly, as well." The man smiled and led me to my friend, who was sharing a space with another horse. She sniffed my hand and confirmed it was me, pushing her snout closer to me for attention.
"I am not a thief, I don't have any reason to sell off any of these mounts. That is, unless it's been a good few months since anyone has seen the face of the owner. I am a fantastic person with faces." The Caretaker's face was glowing with the compliment to himself. He definitely did take his work seriously.
"I see. I will not be getting her until tomorrow, though." I didn't come to retrieve her, only make sure she was still here.
"I would imagine. I won't let anything happen to your mount until you get back from your nights rest. Speaking of, got a place to stay for the night?"
"I'll find one. I think I will choose whatever is closest, mind pointing me in the direction?" The man led me to the front entrance of the store again, giving me a general direction to walk and telling me what to look for. A smile, wave, and a moment of walking led me to the Inn the Caretaker spoke of. This wasn't like in Belkarth Guard where I used the remainder of the night to mingle. It was when the soft noise and sweet-smelling air hit me that the fatigue of almost the last two weeks, which I knew because the scroll told me the date, hit me all at once. I slowed through the process of paying and getting to my room. It seemed instant that when my body hit the partially comfortable bed, although tiers better then what I had to deal with while in the wild, I was sleeping deep enough that not even a fireball could wake me up.
The morning was bright, the glass only making the streaming sunlight more intense. I could see the light without opening my eyes, irritated at the intrusion of my peaceful sleep. A groan escaped my lips and I had to give in to the terrorizing of the day. As much as I would like to take a day or two to recoup my energy, but I couldn't let procrastination take over.
The weather outside was rather nice, as I was in the lower edge of Hammerfell that didn't get affected by the northern weather of Tamriel. It was a relief to be able to simply walk the streets for the peaceful atmosphere rather than having to rush right away. It felt like I was gone for months, the life of a soldier very alien to me after being in a cushy life of an advisor. The most dangerous thing I had to worry about then was someone's words, which were ultimately harmless. In front of me, metaphorically, were two choices. Only Queen Blubamka knew where Fang Lair was located and she was waiting for me to return her scroll, alternatively I could wait a couple days until I had myself straightened out and completely rested for this big step forward. A large sigh and a look through what I had obtained in the stronghold on its own made the choice a little easier. I wasn't sure if there was a limit on what I could carry, and I wasn't too keen on reaching it when it was inopportune.
"Without the need to get go anywhere else to drop this off, it makes sense that I can take a couple days to myself. I severely need to freshen up after being in an abandoned building with a stagnant environment." It was no doubt that I needed to get through some personal needs or else I would lose what eloquence I obtained from being in the cushy life from before. I may be a warrior at heart but that didn't overturn my hygiene that I needed to maintain as a woman. A wide yawn as I woke up more and the scroll was in its typical place on my waist.
A clean body and a wide yawn was how I started my next few days that it would take to recuperate and finish what was necessary before I got to my final stretch into ending the beginning portion of this long journey. I wasn't prepared to answer to the Queen quite yet, not that she was probably expecting me back anytime soon. I wouldn't doubt that a guard of hers told her of my return, but I had did have other things to take care of before events were going to continue forward. The items I had acquired from my delving into the stronghold were sold, getting me some much-needed gold to fun the rest of my journey forward. Before I was going to use the rather surprising amount of coin, I did know that I had magical items that I knew nothing about. Instead of blindly selling them as well, I figured it would be more effective to get them identified. Of course, I had no clues how I would do that myself, so I employed the services of the local Mage's Guild to do the job. With the required amount of coin given, I was instructed to leave the items with the Mage present and return in a couple days. I did as instructed, coming back and obtaining my new magic items. There were not many that were useful, at least for me personally. A few Marks of different elemental properties and some magically masked pieces of equipment, making it all look the same until the shroud is lifted from it. In the end, I sold most of the pieces except for the ones that were generally equipment that would benefit me. I considered keeping ones that could be used offensively, but even with an item for being the conduit to the spell imbued within, I was uncomfortable with my chances of using it in the right situation.
Finally, after mostly selling and some buying, I confidently strode through the city prepared for my eventual step forward. Unfortunately, while doing my tasks, I felt a pain in my joints. I knew it wasn't because of my age, but as a seasoned warrior, I knew what it was. The time I took away from combat and the physical side of my previous life had softened me to the point where I couldn't feel the pain while trekking through the stronghold, flaring up only when I was resting. It wasn't terrible but definitely made a point of presenting its presence. That cemented my rest for another couple of days. While on the streets, I decided it would be smart to ask around for the current state of Tamriel. It has only been about 6 months since the Imposter Emperor took the throne and what Jagar Tharn could be enacting could be far reaching and quick. My investigating confirmed my suspicions.
"There hasn't been much here, yet, but I heard areas around Cyrodil are in shambles. It shouldn't affect us, those Imperials don't care about us after all. It is a bit worrying, though." The woman I spoke with was not afraid to voice her opinion, like much of their race. I was a little more controlled in what I said, but I did overstep at times with my speech.
"When did it seem to start?" I knew the answer, only asking for an educated guess personally on how long I had until Jagar Tharn ruined the entirety of Tamriel.
"I can't say for sure, but about half a year back. A cousin of mine visited the Imperial City, got out before it got bad but did tell me about the chaos it has been having. I figured the Emperor's special place would be in an uprising at some point. Serves him right for letting this happen." I had to hold my tongue at the woman's remark, knowing that she didn't know what was really happening, but it did sting a little. It wasn't the Emperor that was making all of this happen, it was Tharn doing whatever plan he cooked up. I left soon after, getting all the information I needed in a few moments of speaking. The corruption of an Imposter Emperor was already spreading, and it would eventually reach the coasts of the continent.
The palace was still having complaints voiced loudly, although there were less. Whether it was because the Queen was acting or the problems were dying down (less probable with the corruption of Tharn), I could not tell. Either way, the guards let me in without much questions, only asking if I was the person as before who spoke with Queen Blubamka. When I confirmed it as me, I was led through with very minimal security keeping their eyes on me. When I entered the hall, the guards leading up the Queen, still just as much as before, marginally disregarded me.
"You have returned as my scout had said, warrior! I am pleased to know this, and I am hoping you have completed your mission. I would not hold you in contempt if you could not handle the infestation of the stronghold alone." I smiled at the thought of not being able to handle the monsters. I held, in my hand at my side, the parchment she was looking for and felt quite proud.
"I have your item and I must say, you should choose your help with more scrutiny next time. It was difficult alone, but not impossible. If I can be blunt, I found your previous group spread across the stronghold ground." Queen Blubamka nodded with a smile of her own. I handed the parchment over and the Queen took it, unrolling it hastily to confirm it was what she was looking for.
"You have recovered the correct document. I hope you put Golthog in an early grave as well. I shall eagerly complete my end of the bargain." The Queen motioned for a courtier, who stepped up to take his place beside the two women. It was a Redguard with a largely shaved head, keeping only a thin layer of hair and an expression that held a suspicious glance. He was dressed in fine clothes, silk accenting and quite the haughty posture. It brought some nostalgia to my own mind as I couldn't forget that before the Emperor was forced away, I was someone who wore the same style of outfit. "Would you happen to have a map on you, Miss Mairner?" I nodded and brought out the scroll that was securely latched onto my waist. I unrolled it and walked forward, both the Queen and courtier moving to the side as I put my seemingly blank item onto the table.
"I did not meet anything with a name, so I am not sure where this 'Golthog' is currently. Also, you do not need to write on this, simply point and it will know what to do." The first sentence was directed to Queen Blubamka and the other to the courtier. The courtier looked at me quizzically, not sure what I meant by it. That was, until the scroll began to do as I wanted. In a few seconds, the previously blank scroll filled the area with a picture of Hammerfell, perfectly drawn. The courtier looked over the scroll with wide eyes, much like I had seen many other times. Not even the reaction fazed me.
"How did y-" The Redguard began speaking, but I quickly overtook his words.
"Please, just do as I asked. I do not have the time to explain, point and my scroll will do the rest." The courtier still stood in shock but eventually did as told, pointing to a place near Belkarth Guard. I was suspicious, until the picture of an ominous structure indeed filled itself in the location. If the location of Stonekeep was correct, then this had to be as well. I was so close the whole time…
"This is certainly something special. Could I ask for a special viewing of this item?" Queen Blubamka came beside me as well. She wasn't showing any surprise to the sudden magical ability of something so mundane like her courtier.
"I guess but I cannot allow you to take it. It is pretty personal and necessary. I don't see why I couldn't give you an idea of it, though." The Queen had a sly smile and leaned in a little closer towards me. I lifted an eyebrow, standing my ground but definitely curious on what the Queen was up to.
"I understand. When do you plan on leaving the city?" That took no thinking on my part, as I was more than ready to get the quest continued.
"Tomorrow."
"Then could I ask for you to come tonight to see me? I will tell me guards to let you come and go as you please, so they do not need to cause themselves or you any trouble." The distance between the Queen and I was growing ever smaller with every word.
"I can do that." The direction the conversation was going got more and more peculiar. This didn't seem like any kind of trap, not that there was a reason for me to suspect anything as I did complete something necessary for her. Of course, Tharn could have already done more than expected from this point…
"Then come here tonight and I will meet you here. Now, I do not mean to push you out, but I have many things to prepare." Queen Blubamka leaned back again, eliminating the distance and almost immediately leaving the main hall to one of the many doors leading elsewhere.
"Of course." I didn't speak to the Queen, as she was through the door and out of sight before I could completely process the movements. My eyes returned to the map that showed Hammerfell and I did immediately know what was around. Fang Lair was an obvious mark on the surface and to the southwest was Belkarth Guard, where I had first come after the escape below the Imperial City. If I was going to be there for a little while, I had some things to wrap up before I left that place again.
It was a long night of explaining what I knew about the scroll, which was only how I used it so far. She brought in another to try and discern more of its secrets, although nothing could be identified. It was magical but there was no information that could be gotten from it. Even the extra help only could figure out it was a special scroll. With that in hand and a destination in mind, I retrieved my horse. She was well taken care of and I made sure to visit her while I was in the city. I wasn't expecting to be as close as I was with an animal, but it seemed like the habit of bonding with a person you've traveled with could extend to a mount as well. With a rested body and a renewed vigor, the calm skies were a nice way to begin my travel.
"Almost there, girl. Then you'll get another long rest." I stroked the side of Cherry's head, gently motivating her forward to the familiar walls of Belkarth Guard. It was clear enough, a lot better than the last few days when it came to the lack of rain. If I hadn't extended my trip back to my initial home to a month by taking stops at cities and towns rather than taking the forest, myself and Cherry would have been uncomfortably drowned by the time we got anywhere close to Belkarth Guard. Cherry made her mane jump a little, giving me a smile and I continued giving her attention while she took me forward.
"How long will it be here?" The owner of the stable asked while his assistant took Cherry to wherever she went, using my eyes to make a mental note on where it was. It would be a little hard to miss, given the aesthetic being not as similar to the other buildings around Hammerfell. While the typical building structure and detailing was quite basic, not a bad factor for the environment, the foreign architecture included many aspects that were standout in either more intricate detailing or something that was more representative of the frozen north. The stable's owner seemed like a much less impressionable character than the other, making me quite nervous. I wouldn't be here that long and even then, I would make sure to visit Cherry whenever I could during the day. Unfortunately for her today, I had a few people to visit and the conversations would not be short.
"SHE will be here for maybe a week or two, I obviously can't say for sure." I answered back with a rather heavy emphasis on the first word. The stable owner, an older Nord man oddly enough, only looked at me with a scowl. The muscular, paler-skinned man was a lot different than the man in Rihad.
"IT will be here until you get back, then. If you are gone for more than a month, I sell it." I was going to reply with another more strongly worded statement, already formed in my head, when a feminine voice came into the room.
"Bejorn, you need to practice your charisma. You are terrible with people." The girl the voice belonged to came from an Imperial that led Cherry back into the building. She was a lot different than the man, Bejorn, especially with her cheerful demeanor and much more approachable voice and attitude.
"Kindra, don't chastise me. I've never been good at it." The girl, Kindra, walked to stand beside Bejorn. Despite the height of the two races normally being close on average, it was rather jarring how much Bejorn had over Kindra. In fact, seeing Kindra a little more closely revealed she wasn't as young as previously expected. Her voice was still very youthful but her body showed she was at least past her teens in the years when it came to the races of man.
"I apologize for the treatment, we will be taking care of your girl as best we can until you get back. Unfortunately, if you are gone for more than a month, we will be forced to sell her." My body relaxed and my anger all but disappeared at the sweetness of Kindra.
"I will be here any day I can to see her, if that is alright with you." Kindra nodded and smiled.
"Of course, come as much as you want to see her! What would her name be, by chance?" Bejorn was silent, walking away from myself and Kindra, probably bored by the conversation. He didn't seem like the kind of person to stay and observe, like Kindra mentioned in a way.
"Cherry. She is a picky eater, as well." Kindra almost trotted to take my hand, leading me back to where Cherry was grazing. The next stretch of time had me speaking of the specifics of Cherry that she needed to know, all of which the assistant noted down herself. It was about half an hour before I was back in the streets of Belkarth Guard. I took in the calm air of the town and casually made my way towards a specific and rather special place to me.
"Welcome to the Crimson Chasm, how can-" A familiar voice and face met my own as I entered the aforementioned tavern and walked happily to the decorated bar counter. The Tavern itself was in a much better condition, even though I was only gone for about two months. The holes in the walls and even the chips were all but gone, giving the image of a very profitable business. The painting and such remained, although they looked much better on the undamaged walls. Some new tables and chairs were also present, although they looked to be in the process of being changed completely. Some new decorations also were present, a big one being shelves to hold the wares on the wall to show off what the choices where one could purchase. A heavy-built Redguard with a now shaved head stood at the side of the stretch of counter opposite of me. His normally stoic look was broken to one of complete surprise, to my delight.
"You can do a lot. I've heard quite a bit about this place." My smile was only getting bigger, as Sader did what he could to return to his typical expression. It was getting to the point, slowly but surely. I leaned on my arms, hands against the surface between us.
"You've been gone for a while. What made you come back?"
"I have business outside the town, honestly. So, what better way to get prepared than go somewhere familiar. I am hoping I will be back."
"Hoping? I don't know what to say…we should get together to talk." Of course, I expected the suggestion that I would have brought up myself if he did not. I did have quite a bit to talk about, although this wasn't my only place to visit before I relaxed for a couple days.
"Tonight, we can meet after the patrons leave, if the man in charge allows it. Speaking of, you will have to inform him of my arrival. I have my fair share of questions for him, as well." The meeting at the bar counter was far more professional than I expected, although it was appropriate with the sudden change of scenery.
"That makes sense. It shouldn't be hard for me to convince him to be here. We'll have a room set up and some drinks for you before the night comes."
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"I won't take denial for an answer. You have a room here for what you did before you left." My head tilted and Sader got a bit of a smile, a rare sight for the man.
"What did I do?" The question was asked but our conversation was interrupted by someone enjoying their time behind me.
"Another bottle over here!" I turned enough to see a Breton waving an empty bottle in the air. He wasn't alone, the group apparently having a good day out.
"Coming over!" Sader reached below the counter, pulling out a new full bottle of whatever the group was having. "Don't be late, the Afterdark Society never sleeps when the sun falls over the horizon." It was a long trek but Sader took long strides along the length of the counter. I was standing confused at what the answer could possibly be. It took a few minutes before I gave up waiting at the counter, Sader talking to the group as if they were longtime friends. I still did have my other destination, one that would take longer in comparison to this one.
The building was unchanged from how it looked when I left. The material seemingly untouched on the outside and not even the sign was different. Of course, the shop had a much different situation than the Crimson Chasm when I first arrived. It was doing perfectly fine, the only imperfections from the age of the building but that didn't detract any beauty; It only heightened it. A familiar creak was heard as I opened the door to the Maker's Tool Shop, something that was like music to my ears. Another calming sound, to me at least, was the banging of metal on metal further in the structure. The temperature was rising already, despite me only stepping into the doorframe. That meant one thing: The Craftsman was hard at work and has been for quite a while from the state of things around the shop. There were quite a bit of armors and weapons made, the number increasing as I walked forward into the rising heat of the building. A few scrap armors that most likely were asked to be repaired, as well as some raw materials that could be for repairs or custom items. In my time under The Craftsman, I had my fair share of custom orders.
"Could I ask a question for the owner of this place?" I was about ten feet away and did my best to speak over the banging of the hammer onto the present piece of metal. My voice projected well enough over the strikes of the tool, causing The Craftsman to stop his work and look to see where the noise was coming from. He stared for a moment and carelessly dropped his hammer on the anvil, at least that was probably where it was supposed to go. It clattered to the stone floor by the time The Craftsman was giving me a hug. For a rather buff man, he walked surprisingly fast and I was definitely stuck in his arms.
"Tenyin, it's been so long! Where have you been?" I was embraced tightly for a couple more moments, eventually being released.
"Jeez, you have to watch how hard you do things." My back cracked a bit when I flexed. "I've been gathering some things to help with my…thing I'm doing. Not much else." It felt quite underwhelming to say it, especially since it has been a good amount of time.
"Why so long? Come, sit and let's talk!" The Craftsman took my shoulder and led myself out along with his own large body from the heat of the building. Instead of leaving to go in somewhere else, The Craftsman set us on a couple benches on the side of the building on the grass. The breeze felt amazing and the Redguard calmed his own tense stature just a bit.
I began to explain what I could, getting a little looser with my words. Of course, I was still quite cautious in my own wording. I began when I left and arrived at Rihad up to just before coming back into Belkarth Guard. I felt like it wasn't important to mention Cherry and visiting The Crimson Chasm. It wasn't he most exciting story but not once did The Craftsman break his interest in my story. Every now and then, his focus peaked on my explanation of monsters and mostly the dungeon delving. By the time I finished, the sun was setting, and the colors of the sky were changing from blue to the shades of red.
"You went through that whole place on your own? You really are something special, even though you haven't told me much about you." The Craftsman had gotten more comfortable on the bench, leaning back and resting his elbows on the top of the bench. His body almost looked unrecognizable in comparison when he was working. His whole body seemed to be relaxed, sending shivers through me as I looked. I averted my gaze and nodded, looking down the way at the few other people still populating the pathways.
"It's a little hard to talk about myself. I'm not much, just a previous soldier who is on a personal quest. I don't have anything exciting happening in my life, at least I didn't before this whole thing started." I was comfortable, but my tongue was still tight as it needed to be regarding the information I was willing to give out to anyone.
"Speaking of, will you ever tell me more than just what I see myself? It may be personal but there's only so much I can discover from that process." It wasn't the first time the question was brought up and would not be the last, no doubt. My will was stronger than the thickest of walls, especially going from past experience.
"Eventually, maybe when this whole thing is finished. I wouldn't hold out for it, though. Let's just say that this is only the last stop in the first of many huge hills I have to traverse before the end." The Craftsman sighed at my response, getting only a similar metaphor every time it was asked so far.
"If you say so." A big gust of wind blew through the thinning city roads, the bulk being blocked by the turned body of the Redguard with me, but the excess did cause me to shiver a little. During the night, it was the polar opposite of the day in reference to weather. The days were hot enough that it was more preferred to wear as little cloth as possible, the nights forcing residents to wear at least two layers.
"Mind if we continue this another time? I need to get back to the Inn, still have some things to get done." The Craftsman finally made a larger movement, stretching his muscles from the unmoving rest the two have been having for at least the past couple hours. I couldn't help myself, I stared and felt a stirring that I had forgotten about before. It was different than any traditional stimulation, not being completely for primal needs.
"Sure, I have to get the forge back up and running hot again."
"You are going to work overnight? That's not the healthiest lifestyle." The Craftsman chuckled and shook his head.
"Not overnight, I couldn't afford to ruin my sleep schedule. I just have to finish an order before it gets too late or get as far as I can get. Don't want to be out too long into when the creeps begin prowling the place."
"You walk around when it's dark?" A twinge of worry came over me, although it wasn't exclusively for the Redguard. It was a bad decision for anyone noble of heart to roam when the sun went down.
"It sounds bad but I get back easy enough. I don't live far and be honest, I'm a big guy that carries a big weapon with me. The last one that went against me and had the courage to stay, he didn't leave without needing a pretty hefty healing spell."
"Oh! Jeez, I might as well hire you for helping me in my next step of the quest." The Craftsman stood up, his height towering over me as I stayed on the bench. He really was a big guy and I couldn't imagine him getting angry.
"That's nice but I have a home here, as you would know by now. If I was going to leave, it would be for bigger and better forges." The expected answer from someone as in love with his craft as one could be. A warm accompanying it and I knew that the man running the forge was here to stay.
"If I find any, I will send word right away." I stood alongside the proud Redguard. We exchanged our final goodbye's and I was off, back to the Crimson Chasm. Even with the sun close to illuminating the little parts of the city with its glow, a few individuals held lanterns and walked nonchalantly. The Afterdark Society existed but it didn't seem like the biggest of threats in some places.
"It's about time you returned! The last thing I wanted to think was that you came back only to meet your end in a rather embarrassing way." The bright-eyed Redguard greeted me not long after I walked into the largely emptied public are for patrons. A couple did seem to stay, assumed to be patrons that paid to get a room for the night.
"If that had happened, I'd let Oblivion have me at that point. Lived through a whole abandoned stronghold only to die to some over-ambitious thief." A mug was handed to me when I approached the bar table from Sader, who was still showing hints of his rare expression from before.
"You went through all of that, huh? Who would have thought after how things started."
"True. How many people have been here lately?" Although the answer was in the new decorations and the much better atmosphere, it wasn't past me to ask, anyhow. I was definitely curious on what made all the changes happen in what seemed like a quicker time then it should have happened in most places that went from slow ruin to a bustling business.
"Seems like more than I could handle but I adapted. You helped a lot, although it didn't seem like it when I asked."
"No kidding. What was in that bottle that made all of this happen?" The Innkeeper waved his hand dismissively, not looking directly at me with the answer.
"Just an expensive potion. I can't really tell you exactly what it was for safety reasons but I can tell you that it was something rare." I wouldn't get anything more, I knew that for sure. His expression didn't break at all, the smile stayed in place.
"Right, right. How much will I have to pay for the night? I would think the prices are pretty high now." The Innkeeper chuckled. Did it rise up more than I figured?
"What will you pay? Absolutely nothing!" I was genuinely confused, thinking that I was getting played with. The Innkeeper caught me, enlightening me with more details. "You got me to this point and it wouldn't be any hits on my profits. To me, you are an important guest! In fact, we have a special surprise for you that happens to be possible tonight as of now. Sader, take her to the room and tell me what happens."
"Wha…" Sader grabbed my wrist after coming around the table and began to lead me wherever the Innkeeper had unknowingly instructed the fetching man to take me. The Innkeeper himself left to socialize with the others remaining guests, who accepted him into their conversation as if he was a friend.
I was led through a familiar door into a hallway that was just as open as before and had just as many doors. There were a few cracked open and a brief peek in showed sleeping individuals with quite the facelift of a scan of what I could see. Sader had slowed down, him and I side by side with hands still intertwined. "Where are you taking me?" Sader didn't say a thing, instead keeping his eyes on a door that looked to be quite new. In a moment, we were both in front of it.
"Right here. You need a room; we have a special one set up for the highest paying patrons. In this case, we are giving you that room. It should look familiar." Sader let go of my hand, my own naturally traveling with it to grab it again without me knowing. A light blush traveled onto my face when I saw my hand moving, putting it behind my back quickly. Sader unlocked the secure door and it opened to an intricate room, decorated with quite the opulent items.
"Wait…this is my room from before." The giveaway was the bed that stayed in its original place. I had only been in a couple of rooms, as most of my time was in nature. The walls were newly cleaned and already gave the space a completely new atmosphere. Some paint was applied thinly to the walls, giving it an off-white look that easily blended with the rest of the items. Candles hanging on the walls with newly forged metal clasps were giving the room a softer light atmosphere, unlike the brightly lit pub room previously occupied. One wall had a beautiful portrait of the countryside that would most likely be seen near the shore side of Hammerfell. The window that was previously open and only keeping the enemies outside by use of metal bars. The new one had thick-looking glass and was a little bigger, giving a nice view of the outside. Below was a newly made bed, both with fabrics and the wood frame that gave the room a personal touch. Other than that, there were a couple tables and a small cabinet pushed against the only free wall.
"So, how do you like it?" Of course Sader needed an answer on the new additions and improvements. I was more than happy to give him my answer.
"It's beautiful! But this is so nice, it would be terrible for me to take it up and not give you two anything for it."
"For most people, it would be. You are basically a guest of ours, not a patron. We get enough from the other rooms. They were redone as well, this is just the nicest and it is indeed the one you had before you left. It feels only right to give you the best treatment, at least for a night. I don't know how long you'll get it for free."
"Are you sure there is no way one of you will accept payment?" I wasn't one to force money into someone's hands when I didn't need to, but it sounded absurd to get anything other than directions for free. I turned away from the room to see Sader shaking his head.
"I work for the big guy and he won't take anything. When you get up tomorrow, say something before you go."
"How do you know I will be going?" I don't recall saying anything I had planned to Sader before, unless I had forgotten already.
"You have a look in your eyes, like you have something you have to get some personal quest finished quick. You said as much when you first came, and I recognize the look. You are someone with purpose, I'm jealous." Sader's softer expression returned easier than earlier and less like he was trying to hide it. Unfortunately, his assumption hit the metaphoric nail right in the head.
"You got me. I do plan on leaving tomorrow, as early as possible. Long journey ahead and I need to be sure to keep Cherry fed while I am gone." The two of us were still at the entrance to the room, which Sader did notice.
"I don't know who Cherry is, but what do you say we talk a bit before you go tomorrow?"
"Oh, Cherry is my horse. I don't want to leave her alone while I am…doing what I have to, so I am leaving her here. I think I can manage to get prepared for a couple hours, until the sun rises a little more before leaving to talk." Sader genuinely smiled and took a step back, or rather a small leap when compared to my typical steps. His size and the way he presented himself reminded me a lot of The Craftsman.
"I see. Then have a good night and I should be up early. Have to be up for the early risers, surprisingly there are a few." Sader didn't wait for an answer, turning to leave the way we came. I watched until he was out of view, a massive wave of happiness coming over me. It might have been the comforts given or the completely stress-free times right now, but I felt better than I had in a while. With that, I laid my scroll onto one of the pristine tables and retired quickly. I didn't stay up late enough to hear the skittering of the Afterdark Society, not that I probably would with how this place got changed.
The sun didn't wake me up, rather it was my natural rise that did it. I twitched a little as I woke, opening my eyes by little increments and ending with a big yawn. My back was facing the door and I was looking at the wall, definitely a nice sight. With little difficulty, I pushed myself onto my feet and had my scroll fastened to my belt once again. With a final stretch to get the bones moving, I left the rather posh room to go to the main room, seeing if anybody else was up already.
"Already, Tenyin? You must be quite the hard worker if you are up well before any of our patrons, and we have some early risers here tonight." The Tavern Owner was setting up the drinks and taking inventory, with Sader not in sight as I looked around the room.
"Hm. Well, I do have some pretty time sensitive objectives. When will Sader be up?" The Innkeeper gave a small chuckle and leaned on the bar table.
"He is already up, I have him doing some time sensitive objective of my own. Want me to pass on a message?" I shook my head, a small yawn escaping my lips.
"If you don't mind, could I wait for a little to see if he shows up?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind! You don't need to act like you are wasting my time on anything you ask." I smiled and took that as my invitation to plant myself at one of the tables. There were a few familiar faces that stayed overnight, walking from their rooms and going on their way. It was pleasant to see the rise of popularity of the place, especially seeing as I myself had a bit of help in that regard.
"Good morning, Miss Mairner. Might I take a seat?" While my attention was put elsewhere, a Breton in a leather tunic and non-descript pants casually took a seat across from me without waiting for my answer. She was a bit plain with a short cut of a normal color and looked to be well-groomed, not having any standout features that would differentiate her from any other citizen originating from High Rock. I was not completely into my first drink, so my focus was just as razor sharp as it normally was. My initial thoughts all were related to why a random person was getting close without warning, the danger coming from the situation immediately. My scroll was on hand in case things were to come to a fight.
"You didn't wait to get an answer, so I guess so." The Breton seemed unfazed by my blunt way of mentioning the inconsiderate motion. She held a perpetual smirk, one that actually was getting to me quickly.
"I have a proposition for you, one from a man that you very well know better than most. Lej has some information that he figured you of all people would find very useful." Like before with the Dunmer that mentioned Lej before, my ears perked to listen more closely.
"Lej? What information from the man?" My mug hit the table, staying on the surface while the conversation started.
"Straight to the point, huh? He was certainly correct about your personality. Lej has passed on a particularly special set of information that he has found out about an object called King Orgnum's Coffer." My eyes went a little wider at the claim about the item in question. King Orgnum's Coffer was not any normal item that may be worth a few hundred septims, the Coffer was an item of legend that supposedly unassuming in most cases. King Orgnum himself was fabled to use the small chest to make limitless amounts of gold and many have claimed to possess it, using it to get enough coins to embarrass even the wealthiest of merchants.
"The Coffer of legends is apparently what was found by Lej. Why in Oblivion would I believe you at any point or that you are even speaking the truth about this Lej?" The Breton chuckled and moved, reaching into her tunic underneath the table to bring out something that I couldn't argue with right away. An object that was given to me by another person that claimed to be a messenger of Lej in some form. The rusted, iron ring on a chain this time but nonetheless the same item that was traded before for reagent needed delivered to the Dunmer to apparently be given to Lej.
"This probably answers your question. I can tell you that if anyone claims to be associated with Lej, then they will carry one of these. Hence why you carry one on you now and the one before that gave you it carries one himself." The woman had an air of someone who was overconfident, reflecting it with her rather smug expression. It was a complete change from the jittering Dunmer from before. It might have been experience or personality, but either way it was a trait that I myself lacked and was rather comfortable with the void of the trait.
"Fine, it answers my question about who but why? Why wouldn't Lej take it for himself if it is capable of making someone incredibly rich?" I hadn't revealed a thing about myself yet, other than that I was a very inquisitive and careful person. Then again, the woman before me also didn't reveal anything about herself other than one trait and association, the rest being about the information she carried.
"Lej doesn't need money, he doesn't want money. He runs something special that has enough funds being funneled in to cover all expenses He told me to come to you, someone who he remembers quite fondly for helping him so freely in this era. If you don't feel like you want it, then I will leave, and the location will be forgotten until someone else discovers it."
"No, I will take the location, but I am just being perfectly clear that I am not one to be taken a fool of." The response came quickly, quicker than I was expecting myself. I couldn't help it but to deny the need for the artifact in some way indirectly. The woman's smile grew wider and she leaned in closer to me. I reflected it, not leaning in as much but closing the gap by a bit more.
"Why would you require the item except for personal gain? I know that you don't have some lucrative arrangement, meaning you probably don't have some kind of constant coin coming in." I was going to deny outright that I didn't want the item for personal reasons, that I had enough money and would get enough from my dives to getting the pieces of the Staff to keep my needs fulfilled. It wouldn't come out right away, though. Coin was something that everyone needed and no matter someone's upbringing, individuals could still possibly desire the continuous flow to keep their mental state stable. I knew this by now, I was one. The call of septims was always a problem, always prevalent in my life and was recently surged to life once again with the trip into the stronghold. It was painted on my face and I had to think of another reason quickly, something to not make it obvious that I was a mess with the obsession.
"I need it…for…to keep it from the hands of others…who could use it for something worse than what it was intended for…" The sentence came out fragmented and strained, being put together somewhat at the end. The Breton leaned back again, eyes locked onto mine. They weren't any special color, simple brown but they were still a bit intimidating. It could have been how confident she was but I felt like she knew in an instant, and she probably did.
"That makes sense. Then go to the Summerset Isle, careful of the haughty elves there, and make your way to the Mines of Grolraker. Once you are inside, find the map and find the Coffer yourself after that." I knew that I wouldn't have to remember that, that the scroll would already have the information copied and the location labeled. I was curious about one detail when the information was all out in the open, apparently.
"Why wouldn't any of you get the map and hand it off to me to find the Artifact?" The woman sighed and looked a little perturbed by the question.
"We are giving you information for free and asking you to do the heavy lifting. One of us can very well find it when we leave and then ask for more afterwards. The fact that Lej is offering to get you started on the path of this item should be enough of a favor. Do you want the map to be found and be sold to you after all?"
"No, I was just asking a question. I don't know how you got into such a position to have an attitude like that. If all you have to say is that, then I would appreciate my time alone to prepare for my own plans." The woman stood up quickly, at least getting up off the chair. She was looking at me and flashed a smile, looking pretty fake to me, and spoke one last piece.
"So you know, we will be returning to ask you to return the favor doing something else. It will not be anything hard, as you were graciously given pretty basic information from us, but we will come to collect another time. Good luck, Tenyin, and watch for those bands if you suspect someone from our organization is making contact with you." The women didn't let me give a retort, not that I had one to give, before leaving into the bright outside of the building.
It was about half an hour later and a gift of a couple drinks from the Innkeeper before Sader came into the main room. He had a few sacks over his right shoulder and a leather pouch in his left hand. They were most likely supplies for the now busy business. "Tenyin! I wasn't expecting you up so soon when you had a night to actually rest." I smiled and waved at the working assistant, now a couple drinks in while waiting and being very calm in how I felt. While I was waiting, the Innkeeper kept me saturated with some of his less expensive liquids, which was fine with me. I didn't want to get drunk before leaving to find my first piece of the staff that was supposed to be able to save the Emperor. Worse than that, I wasn't in a state to leave and have to push the schedule back more.
"I am normally not but I do have a schedule to keep. I don't want to take longer than I have to. How early did you have to get up?" Sader walked to the serving table and carefully put the items down, after which the Innkeeper began opening and rustling through them himself.
"I get up this early all the time. I have to make sure the patrons get their drinks and food, especially now that people are expecting things coming here." Sader came to where I was sitting, taking a seat across from me.
"Ah, I see. I have a question for you, if I may?" Sader tilted his head a bit, an inquisitive look as he nodded to answer me rather than speaking. I took that as my sign that I could ask. "You remember I talked about Cherry last night? I will be gone for…a while but I don't want her to go without seeing someone. Could you go to visit her and maybe give her a treat sometimes?"
"That's all? Of course I will. Tell me where she is at and I will put it in my schedule until you get back." It was without hesitation and it brightened me up. I returned a smile and from that point on, I took another hour or so talking to the two Redguards that basically owned the place and even a couple patrons that stayed the night. The sun was just getting over the walls that surrounded Belkarth Guard when I left the open gates to the unforgiving lands that had no law. My next destination was Fang Lair, my scroll open as I followed the direction it pointed me to.