Returning to Riverwood ( pg 3)

 

 After a good night's sleep Hulda, the owner of the Bannered Mare woke me when she set the bread out to proof. I ate a breakfast of yesterday's bread, cheese, fruit, and some milk, the meat that Hulda put on the plate I gave to Tex, who was more than happy to eat it.

   When I was finished I put the plates and cup in the kitchen where a sleepy Saadia was mixing a pot of something. She smiled at me and went back to stirring the pot. I asked Tex if he was going to come with me, with a hearty sigh he heaved to his feet and I told him he wasn't obligated to come, it was up to him. At that, he whined and I told him we would not always be getting up this early, I just wanted to get to Riverwood before Faendal left to go hunting, as I would like to tag along and maybe pick some of the mushrooms that Arcadia wanted. He walked over and licked my hand and we headed out the door and off to Riverwood.

    We made it to Riverwood with no problems at all. Which was a wonder, but Faendal had already left to go hunting. So I asked Alvor if he needed more help at the forge, he replied no, but with Faendal off hunting and Sven sulking, Gerdur might need help over at the mill chopping wood. I sighed and decided that as their was no enchanter in town and I didn't have enough ingredients to make any decent potions I might as well chop wood, besides it would help build up my muscles and wind. So I spent the day chopping wood and delivering it to the various houses in town that had paid for the wood and then got paid for my labor.

   That night I decided to play at the Inn, so I asked Orgnar if that would be alright. so that night I played at the Sleeping Giant Inn and caught Faendal between sets and asked him if he was going hunting again on the next day. He said that no, he had not planned on going out again tomorrow, as he had gotten a large Elk, so the whole town had meat for a couple of days at least.

    He must have seen the disappointment on my face because he said he would be happy to go with me to pick whatever herbs it was that I wanted and knew some good places to get them. He said Sven could just get out of his sulk and behave like a man and do his own work at the mill.

    So the next morning Faendal and I headed out of Riverwood together with both our dogs following along. He asked me what kind of herbs and mushrooms I was looking for and we headed in the direction that he thought I might find the majority of them. As we came to a fork in the road he asked if I would like to see the local Talos shrine, I replied yes, cause if the Thalmor had anything to say about it, all the Talos shrines would soon be torn down.

   So we headed off in the direction he pointed out, I stopped here and there to pick herbs and mushrooms. Faendal said the shrine was close and as it was close to lunchtime, we might want to head there, because there were benches we could sit on and they had a nice view of the mountains and lake.

   Right as we got to the base of the path that would lead up to the Shrine, we passed a small patrol of Imperials. The Captain asked what we were doing, I told him I was out picking herbs for the Alchemist in Whiterun and that Faendal said the view from the benches up by the shrine was very nice, so we were going to go have lunch up there.

    I guess a Breton and a Bosmer eating lunch at a Talos shrine sounded more like a tourist trip than a worshiper going to ...well worship, so the Captain said just to watch out for the Thalmor as they could be nasty.

   As we got to the top, we saw a slaughter, several priests and worshippers had been killed. I saw one Thalmor mage and several Thalmor soldiers. As we got closer to see if anyone was still breathing, the Thalmor soldiers, who looked more like skeletons stood up and started attacking us. Both dogs, rushed in and each grabbed a leg on the closest skeleton and started to pull in opposite directions, I would have laughed if not for the sword in it's hand.

    I used the staff and summoned a lesser deadra, a Dremora Curl answered the call. I then cast a mage armor spell and started lobbing firebolts at them. From behind us, I heard a horse scream in rage and the thunder of hooves as it went past me, Faendal pulling me out of the way just in time.

   The Captain jumped off the horses back and started chopping at the further skeleton, his soldiers and a heavily armored dog also joined the fray. Afraid I would hit one of my new allies, I decided that healing might be the better way to go, so I darted behind everyone casting healing spells.

    When the Skeletons were down, the Captain walked over and asked if we were alright. I said yes, but it looked like the Thalmor had been here. The Captain walked from corpse to corpse shaking his head and muttering. I didn't catch what he was saying, but it didn't sound like he was happy.

   About the time he got back on his horse, the Skeletons decided to resurrect again and the battle started over again. This time when it ended one of the soldiers walked over to each skeleton and poured salt on it. He winked and said it was an old wives tale, but it wouldn't hurt to try it. I laughed and said surely not.

   So we spent the rest of the afternoon picking flowers and mushrooms and in a couple of small ponds, I found some Nirn root and minnows that had some medicinal properties. Faendal said he knew where a hunter's camp was and we could probably stay the night with them, which is what we did. The next day we found an Alchemist's camp and his corpse. After picking through his things and finding a journal and some useful herbs, I picked more on my own, and then Faendal said we should probably start to head back to Riverwood if we wanted to get there before nightfall.

    The rest of the day was very uneventful, which I at least was more than grateful for. Tex and Faendals dog would dart off into the brush and out would pop a rabbit or fox, but they were only putting in a small effort at chasing them so they all got away.

~~~~~
    When I returned to the Inn, the Keeper handed me a note. I went to my room and opened it. Reading the words, I felt a burning rage inside. So the hunt was on again, the hunters might find themselves the hunted this time...  I had never run and I would not start now.

    I thought back to when it all started, the first lesson I had in stealth and killing. And the last day, that caused me to be the hunted. Though most had quiet trying, I was a harsh teacher, death being a failing grade. My Master should have known that you can't teach a man to kill, to be a confident killer, and then abuse him. He counted on himself always being the better assassin, but everyone grows old and slows down. I grimaced and the scar's on my face pulled. I may have walked out bloody and hurt, but he and all the rest of his henchmen were carried out and placed on stone slabs.

Riverwood and New Friends ( pg 2)

    

I got up very early the next morning and ate breakfast, I made a small pouch with potions and other odds and ends. I secured this around my waist and said goodbye to Hadvar, the rest of the family still asleep. As a headed out towards the edge of town one of the guards caught up to me and said that the night was very still, but he had heard howling in the direction I would be traveling, so I should be very careful.

    I crossed the bridge and paused to watch the sunrise.  As I rounded the first bend in the road a deer almost trampled me in its effort to get away from a pack of wolves that were chasing it. I ducked behind a tree and peeked back at the wolves. They had not yet seen me, but it would only be a matter of time before one of them smelled me. I was not wrong as the largest wolf stood at the edge of the river and growled while watching the deer bound across.

    I thought about sneaking back to Riverwood and telling the guards, surely a large pack like this would be taken care of? But as the wolf swung its head in my direction I realized I would not be able to outrun the entire pack or any of them really. So I backed to the edge of the river and summoned a familiar. That took most of the magic I had, so I drew the sword and set a flame spell.

    Using small gout's of flame and the sword I kept the wolves away from me, my familiar did away with two of the cubs, but there were still way too many wolves. I put up the sword and dove toward the center of the river, trying to swim to the other side. I realized my mistake right away, the current was to strong, I would never make it. So I turned to face the direction of the waterfalls and just directed myself away from the worst of the rocks.

    I must have gone over three sets of falls before I got to an area that was shallow enough for me to stand and make my way to the edge. As I got to the edge and tried to boost myself up on the rocks a hand inserted itself in my line of sight and I heard a gruff male voice telling me to take his hand. He hoisted me up and out of the river and I thanked him. He nodded and then turned to help his fellows with the wolves that had followed me down the falls.. but had hopped from rock to rock.

      Deciding to stay and help the Imperial soldiers might not have seemed like the smartest thing to do, but as one had helped me, I would return the favor. So I summoned my familiar and then noticing that the soldier who had helped me out of the river had dropped his bow, I picked it and the quiver up and started taking pot-shots at the wolves. It wasn't long before all the wolves were dead or on the run, so I gave the bow back to the soldier and decided to skin all the wolves, hides are worth money and I could use more of that.

       I had almost gotten to the turn into town when I heard a commotion on the farm off to my left. I saw three people fighting a giant, two with swords the third shooting at it with arrows. I again summoned my familiar and then drew the sword, setting a flame spell to my left hand. I stayed out of the other's way and sliced at the giant from the side, using my flame as I could when the others weren't too close.

      The giant finally hit the ground with a crash that made the ground tremble. The man that was there came over to me and told me I looked strong and should join the Companions. Ah, so, mercenaries, honest ones with a good reputation, but still mercenaries. Looking into the man's eyes I saw a bit of interest that might make it worth my time, it would be something to think about. One of his female companions came up to me and said I would make a good shield-sister, I thanked her and said I would have to think about it. 

     It was getting on late afternoon by the time I got to the gates of Whiterun, I would not be heading back to Riverwood tonight. I did stop at the smithy long enough to ask her if I could leave my wolf pelts and come back and tan them later. The woman was kind enough to say that was alright and that she might be interested in buying them if I wanted to sell.

     I hurried through town and up to the Jarl's Palace, wanting to give my message and then head to the Inn for dinner. After a quick chat with his Housecarl, I went up to talk to him and he thanked me with some gold and armor. It was nice armor but would fit me twice around, so I guess I could sell it to the smith. Before I left the Jarl asked if maybe I could help his court mage with a problem. I said I would at the very least hear the problem out and see if I could help. Plus he might have some magical supplies I could use.

     So I stood there listening to what it was they wanted me to do. Was this what I had been placed here to do? It seemed like a heroic enough thing, but I would need time for my magic to recharge, I was not as yet anywhere near full strength. I told the Jarl I would take on the task, but that I needed a bit of time, as I would need some supplies and other things to help me get out alive. That big strong Companion... he might do, but would probably require me to join the Companions to do so. I knew Hadvar would, but he had been pretty burnt in trying to escape the dragon, so would need more time than I to heal.

    I asked the court mage what he had for sale and he showed me his wares. He had mostly lower-level spells that I already knew and couldn't use right now due to lack of magic, but he had some scrolls that would come in very handy until I could use my magic at full strength. I looked at his soul gems and sighed, those would have to wait also, I just was not up to enchanting.

   I went to the Inn and asked about a room, I grudgingly parted with the ten gold for the night.  I did ask her if she knew if the general store had any musical instruments. She said she didn't know, but the Inn's bard told me that while Belathor did have an old lute, he was asking way more than it was worth. He did know that the smith had a half finished lute, had been commissioned to make the strings, but the bard had never come back, so she might be willing to sell it at a descent price.

   The Bard followed me to the stairs up to the room I had rented and told me that if I got the lute and got it finished I might be able to play here tomorrow night as he had a job out on one of the farms to play for a wedding reception. I thanked the man and made my way up to the room. The Inn Keeper had put some hot water in the washstand so I made washed as best as I could, it would have been nice if they had had a bathing room.

    The next morning I ate and then went to talk to the smith. She did indeed have a half-finished lute and said that she would trade it and the strings for some of the pelts I had brought in. So we dickered for a while and she got all of the pelts, I got the lute and strings, plus her apprentice would be making me a  water-proof backpack to store the lute in. I finished the lute, that really just needed a good coat of varnish and to be strung. I put just one coat on, left it on the table inside the smithy to dry for a bit, and walked around town.

      I visited the Alchemist who asked me if I had any fresh ingredients I could sell her. I told her no, but I had a few potions I had brewed yesterday if she was interested. I sold her a couple of the duplicate potions that I really didn't need and then asked her what she was looking for. I told her I would see if I could find some of the items she was looking for near town, as I was playing at the Inn tonight.

     I went to the smithy and put another light coat of varnish on the lute and told him that I would be back in the late afternoon to pick it up. I then headed to the Inn and asked the Inn Keeper if she would like me to take her hound out for a run while I picked some herbs for the Alchemist. She laughed and said that the big mutt wasn't hers, but had shown up one day and never left.

     I coaxed the big dog to come with me and asked him what his name was. He didn't really answer but gave a low woof at me, so I said Tex it is then. Tex chased after rabbits and brought one or two back to me, which I put in my pouch for dinner later. When we stopped in a meadow where I found a lot of the herbs and other ingredients the Alchemist wanted, he caught another rabbit and had a brief lunch of his own. I noticed a small grove of trees a little ways past a watchtower and decided that might be a good place for the mushrooms, which was on the list that Arcadia .

    So we headed in that direction, but I made sure we were closer to the watchtower before heading that way. I waved to the guards and pointed to my basket. When I noticed a commotion in the distance, slightly past the grove of trees it gave me a slight pause, I really didn't want any trouble. As the fight got closer to me, I saw that it was a giant tundra spider and a mage. He had conjured up something that I could not quite make out through the tree line. As they got closer and closer, I realized what it was that the mage had conjured and I really hoped he lived long enough for it to dis-spell, not all conjured deadra return when the mage dies. Such was the case, as the tundra spider killed the mage, the Winged Twilight did not dis-spell. I backed up as they got closer, but Tex decided to join the fray.

   I tested out my magic and sighed, not enough, but more than I had had yesterday. I summoned a flame atronach and then backed further away. As the fighting got closer still, I ran towards the watchtower, the guards had all pulled out their bows by then and started shooting at the spider and deadra. I could only hope they did not hit Tex. As the spider went down, I got enough of my magic back to cast a firebolt spell and I lobbed a couple at the Winged Twilight and she soon went down under a barrage of arrows and firebolts.

   I went out to the corpses and gleaned what I could from them, a deadra heart would bring some good coin. The mage himself had the best loot for me, a staff of summoning, from the runes lesser deadra, which explained the Winged Twilight.  This was something I could really use right now. Tex and I headed into the trees, but there weren't to many mushrooms as the trees were not really thick enough. I heard the faint sound of water trickling in the distance and a humming sound that generally meant Nirnroot, so I headed that way. Their was only one Nirn plant and I picked that one, making sure to leave roothairs so that it would regrow.

   We got to town in early evening and I headed straight to see Arcadia and sell her the items that I had picked. I walked out with a tidy sum of gold, it would help. I then headed to the local bathhouse and took myself a nice long soak. The bath attendant laughed at the look on my face when Tex joined me in the larger pool. He said that the water constantly moved, so it was clean, even if the muddiest of dogs jumped in. He then laid a large towel on a bench for me and another on the floor all spread out, for Tex.

  Tex soon had enough of swimming and jumped out of the pool, shaking off, he then went to the towel and rolled on it. When he was done doing that he picked it up and carried the towel over to the large bin that other dirty towels were in... I could only guess he had been in here a few times. As I climbed out of the pool and started drying off, he went over to the fire and laid out beside it. I put on my clothes and then sat on the chair beside the fire, toweling my hair as dry as I could. I then brushed it with the warm fire was a comfortable backdrop.

  I sighed and told Tex he was welcome to stay, but I had to go so that I could play at the Inn and not have to pay for my room and meal.

~~~~~
     I slipped into a shadow as a guard walked by and waited, then crossed the space to the door of the house I was looking for. Picking the lock was a matter of seconds and I slipped inside before the guard made it to the end of the house. Waiting till my eyes adjusted to the gloom inside the dwelling, I then made my way to the second floor. I made my way to the master bedroom and staying well in the shadows, watched for a minute to make sure both occupants were asleep. My contract was only for the man, so I went to his side of the bed and then poured a paralytic on the edge of my dagger blade. I put my hand hovering over his mouth, I slit his throat and wiped my blade on the blanket. I walked quickly and quietly out of the house, leaving an in-expensive onyx necklace on the table by the door. I put my ear to the door and listened for the slight scuff that would tell me the guard had walked by. I then opened the door just enough to pass through and walked out into the night, getting on my horse and riding back to the Inn..
 
 

A New Day ( pg 1)

        I woke with a splitting headache, which was actually nothing new. I opened my eyes to bright sunshine and winced. The big Nord sitting across from me smiled and said he was glad I was finally awake. He had feared that I would never awaken. Little chance of that.

        So this would be my new awakening point, I would pay attention. It always happened at a turning point, something momentous was going to happen and I would have some part in it, no matter how large or small. Someone I needed to save or something I needed to do.

         I took stock of myself and realized that I was bound and wearing rags... well that wouldn't be a first either. I had just gotten some very nice armor to, pity that, I wondered if there were any Khajiit Caravans, I had credit with them. There was another man in rags across from me a horse thief and the Big Nord said the man with the gag was a Jarl....hmmm maybe I was to save him?

         I whispered the words of a spell, just to see what kind of shape my magic was in and soon realized I would be lucky to cast novice level spells. Checking my memory, I still knew all my spells it would just be a matter of having enough power to actually caste them.

        The big Nord, Ralof he said his name is... asked me who I am, I looked at him and will a straight face, said "just another blood cursed Breton mage". He looked a bit startled for a moment, but then nodded, he had heard his people say that about mine. I didn't mean it in exactly the way I meant him to take it though. I really was Blood Cursed, my whole family was or what is left of them.

      Our curse was two-fold, the first was just bad luck that one member of our family insulted another families favored son, well insulted might be putting it to mildly, humiliated might be a better word. So much so that he could not live with the shame and killed himself. From that day on his family hired assassins to murder any female children in the direct line. I was on the run.

      The second part, we are none of us sure where it came from or why, but all of the female children were cursed to "come back to life" and we did, it was not a pretty thing though, not for me anyway. I would come back to life at the same point over and over and over again, until such a time as I did whatever it was that the Divine or Deadric Prince wanted to be done. Sometimes it was saving someone's life because they had a major part in history.... others it was just pointing that person in the right direction and once it was stealing an item that could have been used to de-rail an Empire.

      So as the cart came into the town that Ralof named Helgen, I looked around and wondered what it was that I was supposed to do. I noticed a Thalmor speaking to an Imperial of high rank. Ralof was good enough to name them all for me. I really liked this big Nord, chatty as he was.

      We got off the cart and headed over to where a chopping block was set up... Now that one would hurt, it was one of the few things that would kill me permanently. The first of the Nords was set to the block and then for some reason, the little witch of an Imperial captain decided I should be next. We all heard a roar in the distance, it was something I had heard before. The man who took my name and said he would send my remains back to Highrock told me to come forward. Wouldn't that be a hoot, the only thing they would be able to send back to my home was the Family Necklace, the rest would turn to ash and blow away as soon as my head parted from my shoulders. I wondered if their was even an instant of pain.

     As I laid my head on the blood soaked block and the Headsman swung up his  blood soaked axe, there was a disturbance in the air and a huge black Dragon landed on the tower behind him and started spitting fire and what appeared to be a blast of air that knocked me over. I lay there a minute and then, I heard Ralof say to get up... move Breton, we won't be getting another chance. 

     So I got up and ran to the Tower door, where I could see others in the blue tinted armor waiting. Ralof and another soldier went up the stairs while the Jarl of Windhelm helped another tend to the wounded. I followed Ralof up the stairs, I did not want them asking me to perform magic right now. The unknown soldiers was moving some debris so that we could get all the way up to the top of the tower, evidently it had been partly carved out of the mountainside.

    He almost had it cleared when the dragon pushed his big head through the wall, spitting fire at the soldier and instantly killing him. Ralof and I ran back down a flight of stairs until the dragon was gone. Ralof then went back up the stairs and waved me on. He told me I should jump across to the Inn and make a dash from there. It would have been very nice had he cut my bonds loose before I jumped, but he kept insisting I go.

    I landed hard on the other side and looked around to see if perhaps someone had left a knife, no such luck though. So I tried my magic and while it covered my hands, the bonds did not burn... enchanted bonds, figures.  I swung down to the 1st floor after looking around and not seeing an exit to the town. I knew there had to be one somewhere if I could just make it to one. I stood in the shadows of the doorway and watched the Imperial as he tried to protect an old man and boy when the dragon landed. They all three ran my way as the dragon landed... and snatched up the guard that didn't run fast enough. The Imperial said he was glad to see me still alive and that I should follow him.

    I did follow him straight into the courtyard where many imperial battlemages were fighting the dragon, to little avail it seemed. He then headed for the Keep proper and I trailed along behind him, but the dragon hit me with one of those blasts of air again and I fell to the ground. While I was trying to get up I heard Ralof and him speaking, but when I got to my feet and looked around I could not find the big Nord anywhere. I followed the Imperial into the Keep and he asked me if that was really a dragon. I told him it, sure enough, looked like one to me.

  After he cut my bonds free, he told me to look around and find some new gear. The only things I could find were some light armor, all the same. Imperials have no sense of style, but I put a set on and stuffed some of the rags into the toes of the smallest pair of boots until my feet didn't slide back and forth anymore. I felt very clumsy in the oversized boots, but it was better than nothing. I grabbed a sword and then grimaced at the quality of it, training blade, no better. Hopefully, my life would not depend on it.

  All the way through the dungeon below the keep I followed Hadvar, as that is what he said his name was. Summoning my familiar, the weakest of the spells I knew, but I could do no better right now and still have enough power to use other spells. I would need at least a day or so to recharge.

   We finally made it out of the cave system under the keep, that would be very useful knowledge, only to watch the dragon flying away. I followed Hadvar to his Uncles home in Riverwood, the man was very hospitable and said I could take anything I wanted, within reason. I ate dinner with them and then fell into a deep sleep, waking up the next morning.

   I went to the general store and sold some of the items I had picked up and then went to Alvor, Hadvar's Uncle, and sold some of the armor and weapons that were leftover. I asked him if he needed any help around the forge, that way I could earn the materials I would need to make myself some armor. Something that suited me and wasn't ten sizes too big, which most of the stuff I had gathered was. Their was nothing I could use in his stock either, he looked at me and shrugged with an apology on his lips and I told him not to worry, I knew how to make my own things.

   So I spent that day helping Alvor and getting the pieces together that I would need for my armor, that night he asked if I could get to Whiterun and tell the Jarl about the Dragon. He said it wasn't far and I should have no problems, maybe with the odd wolf, but nothing else. He said I was more than welcome to come back and stay with them till I was fully recuperated. I told him I would go first thing in the morning and try to get back by nightfall, but if not I would be back the next day. I was also hoping the general store in Whiterun would have a lute, I could sing for my supper and not have to do manual labor. My magic would not be up for enchanting for a little while and I needed what I could gather to defend myself if necessary.

    So after dinner that night, when the others went off to the Sleeping Gaint Inn, Hadvar opened a book and I started on my armor. The pants went together fairly quickly as I had already used an awl to punch the holes in the leather. Instead of sewing it together like one would cloth, I used softened leather laces to make a latticework of X's, this left a tiny gap in the two outer sides, the inseam, I sewed together like cloth, with a much thinner leather cord. The top was based on a sweater design and used yarn and metal, I had bought the yarn at the general good's store. With the tiniest tickle of magic, I made the metal as flexible as the yarn and then knit me a sweater with the two intertwined. It wasn't perfect and was a bit small, I misjudged how much yarn I would need and it wasn't enough. It would do the job though.

    I noticed Hadvar watching as I finished up the sweater and he said he was amazed that such a thing could be done. I told him the spell was a specialty of my family and a secrete that we kept, which was the truth, only I was my family and I was the only one that knew the spell. That was probably why he had never seen a chain-mail sweater before, I did tell him that this one was more yarn than chain-mail and not of the best quality, that would take weeks to do and I didn't have that much time right now.


~~~~~
 I heard the door open and shut, felt the draft but heard no thunk of heavy armor boots or the swish of the soft winter ones the Ladies liked to wear in the area. A thief or assassin and as no one had come in earlier to check on the patrons, it was more than likely an assassin. I pulled my blades silently, whispered a spell, and tensed my muscles to spring forward if need be. Out of the darkness same a soft melodic male voice.

   "Khajiit would prefer his brother did not slit his throat, as this one only came to give a message from our Lady."  Knowing the Khajiit could see me very clearly in the dim light, I put away my daggers, but kept my hand near to the one in my boot.

    "And what has the Lady to say, you are not her normal messenger."

    " This one understands that the Esteemed brother assassin will understand the message that makes little sense to Khajiit. Lady Astrid says, "The Morag Tong has paid the Brotherhood to finish a contract that is heading to Skyrim. she will be wearing the necklace".

       I shifted slightly as the Khajiit finished and I saw his ear's perk when he noticed the change in my demeanor.

       "Ah the Esteemed brother does understand the message? This one will admit he is confused by the lack of information, many females wear necklaces". I nodded

      "That is true, but this is a special necklace, worn by only one family a family that the Morag Tong has been paid to eliminate, to the last female babe in arms."  I heard the Khajiit hiss and saw his ears go back flat against his head.

     " Babies? Your people would kill babies, for what reason?. This one can not understand that the Lady Astrid takes some odd contracts, but she has not yet asked this one to kill a child."

     It would be impossible to explain the politics of Highrock to a Khajiit.

    " It politics Brother, nothing more, nothing less. One family insults another, one family gains prestige the other wants, so they hire an assassin.  This family spends a fortune and hire the Morag Tong to kill every female in the other family, lock, stock, and branch.. the contract it reads every female. So as soon as the Molag Tong find out a member has reach majority, they go after them. Only in the first years did they kill children and the retribution was swift for the Molag Tong and the family that hired them, and not just from the family they were assassinating."

      "Ahh, this one can see going after an adult, by waiting till they are old enough. You were there when the contract first was taken, yes?"

      "Yes, I was. I never killed a child, though I was sent after a family that had two. I didn't know that till after I had killed one of the elders and a little girl came out of her room. My contract said that I was to kill all that resided in the house, but no one had said anything about children." My voice must have given away my feelings as the Khajiit stopped asking questions. Those large green eyes would haunt me with their fear and hatred.

     "This one only stopped in on a hunch that the Esteemed Brother would be here. Khajiit was given a fool's contract to go after a student at the college in Winterhold. This one thinks the college is well protected and he might not make it out, so he stopped here first to relay the message. "

      I nodded, the Khajiit was right, the entrance to the College was well guarded and he probably would not make it in, let alone out... at least not by the front door.

     "Brother, go down to the back of the college and look for an entrance to a troll's lair. Take a grappling hook and rope, at the back of the lair there is a ledge, this leads to some tunnels below the college. They are used from time to time and while there are a few of them, it should not be hard to make your way through. Just take food and some weapons, the troll isn't the only danger."

    "This one thanks his Esteemed Brother and if this one makes it through this contract, this one will owe his Esteemed Brother a favor"

    I listened to the Khajiit walk towards the door, he really was good at sneak and his grey and black fur only helped in the shadows.

     So one of the family had been in hiding all this time. The chances of her coming to this remote Inn were slim, but I would keep an eye out for her... I had taken a contract that was not, as of yet, filled.