-Ch. 6-
Oz stepped off the carriage to the gloomy, swamp lands of Morthal.
Finally, a familiar place. He thought to himself. Oz hadn't been to Morthal more than twice, but it was more than he'd ever been to the South East of Skyrim, his new home as of the last few weeks. He was mostly glad to be back to the more temperate climate of the West. At least more temperate than High Hrothgar.
The Greybeards were good to him. His short week of training with Master Arngeir had quickly unlocked Ozgar's understanding of the Voice, the Dovah spirit, and magic as a whole.
But that mountain was damned cold.
Oz stepped off the carriage, and had visions of a hot meal and a warm bed. It was a long day of traveling, descending the mountain adding a considerable amount of time. He would stay in Morthal for the night and in the morning, retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller from a nearby barrow.
As Oz made his way to the Inn, he passed a large group assembling outside the Jarl's longhouse, yelling things like "What's the Jarl gonna do about it?" Oz shrugged and strolled passed. He noticed the neighboring, smoldering building before he stepped inside the Mooreside Inn.
Ozgar smiled and nodded at the bard, a fellow orsimer. The bard winked as he happily, but poorly, performed "The Dragonborn Comes", unaware of the ironic timing.
Oz took a seat at the bar, aside a lithe young woman in a hood. It was just him, the hooded woman, and the barkeep. Oz tried to take a peek at the young woman's face, to no avail, before finally ordering a drink. When the woman came back, Oz asked what his aunt told him to always ask while traveling.
"Heard any rumors lately?" He asked as he lifted his mug, attempting to sound experienced.
The barkeep's face lit up. The older redguard woman leaned in, Oz stiffened up to avoid looking down her blouse.
"Well, ever since my brother Fallion and I - I'm Jonna by the way, love - ever since we moved to Morthal, he's been the talk of the town."
"Morthal doesn't exactly trust mages." The hooded woman said sadly. She turned to face Oz, revealing a beautiful young Nord.
"Aye," Jonna continued. "But a few nights ago, I'm sure you saw Hroggar's house? It burned down not too long ago. It's a real pity about his wife and kid. The screams woke half the town. Most folk won't go near it now for fear it's cursed."
Oz almost spit out his mead. It would seem all of Skyrim may be cursed - Forsworn conspiracies, dragon attacks, and mysterious house fires.
"How did the house burn down?" He asked trepidatiously. "Was it a dragon?"
"No, no," Jonnna reassured. "Hroggar claims it was a hearth fire. Some folks say Hroggar started it himself."
The young lady next to Oz shook her head and scoffed.
"With his wife and child inside?" Oz asked incredulously. Cursed indeed.
"That's what they say." Jonna said with a shrug. "See, he's living with Alva now. That started the day after the fire. It ain't right, movin' in with a new love the day after your kin die like that."
"And of course, they can't prove he murdered them."
"Aye," Jonna said. "That's what Idgrod the Younger here is tasked with finding out." She chuckled, handing the young hooded woman, Idgrod, a new mug. "Though at this point the Jarl might be willing to even pay a stranger like you to find out what happened she winked.
Oz turned to Idgrod, who was faintly blushing underneath her hood. "You're investigating the fire?"
"Aye." She said sheepishly after a pause. "My mother, Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone, tasked me with uncovering the truth." She looked about the mostly empty tavern, and leaned closer to Ozgar. "I don't have my mother's gift… not really… But I've seen things." She said in a hushed tone. "And I believe Hroggar to be innocent."
"Jarl's daughter… gifts…?" Oz mused as he was lost in Idgrod's eyes.
She let out a hearty laugh, revealing a big gorgeous smile. "You're really not from around here, stranger." She giggled as she let down her hood, her braided, raven black hair cascading over her shoulders. "That's good. What's your name?"
"Oz…Ozgar." He managed to mutter out. "Ozgar Gro-Shugurz. I'm from Markarth."
"Ozgar." Idgrod mused. She smiled softly at him. "Idgrod the Younger. But you knew that." She winked.
Oz almost blushed. "So what makes you think Hroggar is innocent?"
Idrgod looked around the empty inn, but still leaned in close. Jonna leaned in to hear, causing Idgrod to roll her eyes. "It's hard to explain… There's something in the fire, telling me there's more to what happened." She scoffed at herself, shaking her head.
Oz simply nodded along as she spoke.
"Well," She continued. "I know I sound a little ridiculous… But I believe there's more here. Dark forces at play here in Morthal." She said, staring off to the middle distance.
"Seems there are dark forces at play everywhere." He mused, thinking back to his mission for the Greybeards, and the Forsworn back home. "I can help you investigate!" Oz said eagerly.
Jonna winked at Idgrod and stepped away from the bar.
"You will?" Idgrod asked hopefully. "That would be much appreciated. No one else has taken me seriously. Even mother… here, come with me!" She said with a big smile, excitedly leading Oz to the door.
—
The scent of burnt firewood overwhelmed their nostrils as they entered the dilapidated home.
"Ok, I'm going to introduce you to someone, don't be frightened." Idgrod explained as she walked Oz from the Inn to Hroggar's house.
"I think I'll be ok." Oz almost scoffed.
"I wasn't just talking to you." Idgrod said coyly, gesturing to a remaining corner of the burned down home.
As she gestured, a spectral little girl that manifested in front of them, causing Oz to take a step backwards.
"Who's there? Father is that you?" The transparent girl asked timidly, before breaking out in a wide grin. "Idgrod!" She smiled before nervously shrinking when she noticed Ozgar.
"Hi, Helgi." Idgrod greeted sweetly. She noticed Helgi tense up at Oz. Idgrod stepped a bit closer to the Orc. "This is Ozgar. He's my friend." She said with a smile. After a pause, she gave Oz a gentle and subtle elbow to the ribs.
"Ah, uh.. Hi, Helgi." He said with a wave, shaking his attention back to reality.
Helgi's shoulders slightly relaxed and she gave Oz a small wave. She then turned her attention back to Idgrod. "Is he going to play with us?"
"Yes he is." Idgrod said with a smile. "And when Oz and I find you, you'll tell us about your house, right?"
"Yeah! If you can find me before the other one, I'll tell you!" Helgi said, clapping as she slowly disappeared from view.
Idgrod looked sheepishly at Oz, who returned a look of confusion. After a deep sigh Idgrod began to explain.
"I knew Helgi when she was alive of course." Idgrod said sadly, slowly leaving the home. "She spoke to me when I first started looking into the fire. She says if I win hide and seek with her, she'll tell me more info." She said exasperatedly, beginning to nervously stoke her own hair.
"I imagine hide and seek with a ghost is difficult." Oz said.
"Fucking impossible." Idgrod chuckled. "But maybe you can help? At the very least, you can protect me from whoever this 'other one' she keeps mentioning is." Idgrod said, playfully patting Oz's bicep.
"You found me!" Oz and Idgrod heard Helgi's voice, "Laelette was trying to find me too, but I'm glad you found me first." She said, as Idgrod watched dumbfounded as Ozgar pulled his axe from her clavical.
"Laelette was told to burn mommy and me, but she didn't want to." Helgi continued, "She wanted to play with me forever and ever. She kissed me on the neck, and I got so cold that the fire didn't even hurt. Laelette thought she could take me and keep me, but she can't. I'm all burned up. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep for a while now."
Idgrod began to quietly weep as she stared at Helgi's shallow grave, and Laelette's slain, undead body.