[Story] pt.28. Riders on the Storm

Part one is here Part 27 is here

[...]

Breakfast is a family affair, with all of us seated around a table which is threatening to be too small. Lucia plans to go out to play, and we plan to go to Dragonsreach.

Once we climb the steps and enter, we find the steward upstairs clustered around a large war table with an active map. We ask him about the thief and present our claim, they owe us money, and we would like to be able to collect, and she no good to anyone just sitting in jail, can we have her? He looks at our price of paper writes on it and stamps it with a personal seal. "Show that to the desk guard and they release her into your care " he says . 'Good day" then the arguing continues.

We go to the dungeon show the paper, the guard tells us to wait here, then goes into the dungeon proper, he returns five minutes later with Nerida, points at a chest by the door and then ask me to sign his ledger. He signs it too then says "she's all yours, but be careful, she light fingered that one"

I smile and thank him, then we leave. Once out of the dungeon Nerida thanks me and asks why I got her out. I tell her we need a competent thief. "I'll do my best" she says. I introduce her to Sofia who gives her a wary look. Then says a curt "hello."

[...]

We stop at the jewellery stall and I buy Sofia a gold necklace, it's expensive, so she likes it. Then the stall holder asks us again about her son. A thought comes to mind, and I pull Sofia aside. It seems to me that having the Grey-Manes owe us a favour may be useful, they're tight with the companions, and Eorland is a great blacksmith. She nods.

So I tell the woman that we'll speak to her tonight. She seems very grateful even for that much.

We show Nerida back to the house and where she will be sleeping, introduce her to Vilja & Lucia, She's very formal and treats children like creatures from another world.

Sofia goes off to make food, then we all eat. Finally it's time to go.

[...]

We enter the Grey-Mane house, and we're accosted by a tall blonde man with a large axe, Says he's the missing guy's brother. Both he and his mother are insisting that the Battle-Born's have something to do with the disappearance of her son. I guess we'll have to see what we can find.

Anyway it's time for a drink, let's see if alcohol can loosen Nerida's tongue a little. As otherwise she's very quiet.

Outside it's pitch black and raining lightly, so we run for the Mare which is warm and dry. When we enter who should we see but the large Nord who took Vilja's bottle. But at least he's on his own. He's not pleased to see us however.

We find John Battle-Born, but he's in no mood to answer questions about the Grey-Manes, we'll have to find another way.

Sofia is drunk again and the thief has blended in so well we can no longer find her.

Time to call it a night I reckon.

[...]

When we get home Lucia is waiting up for us, says hello​ then goes to bed. Nerida hits the sack by the fireplace, but there is no sign of Vilja. Meanwhile Sofia has "lost" all her clothes again..

We find Vilja asleep in our bed with a book in her hand. Sofia has a screaming fit and wakes Vilja up. I think there is going to be at cat fight at first until they both calm down. Where she's going to sleep I don't know, given that Nerida has taken the bed by the fire. However...

Time for bed.

We're still talking about the Battle-Born in the morning, when Lucia asks why we don't help Lars Battle-Born the boy who's constantly being picked on by Braith. "Stop that and I'm sure they'll be pleased," she says.

Clever girl.

[...]

Damn those kids move fast. I finally caught up with Lars, and he told me how Braith keeps bullying him, said he'd be my best friend and give me his life savings (2 Septims) if I stopped her. He was a very earnest boy, though he could do with learning to sneak better.

Braith was far more direct and confrontational, asked her to stop, when the "or what?" Appeared, I simply asked​ if she'd ever heard of honour hall orphanage, she soon changed her tune. Apparently she's only bearing him up as he won't kiss her. I ask Sofia what she was like at Braith's age and she kicks me, not altogether playfully. Right on the money then.

We've a few things to sell, so we head for Belethor's, the sky is a bit overcast, but still brightish. "Another dull cloudy day" says Sofia, I guess it's just a matter of perspective.

On leaving Belethor's I notice there is smoke coming from the slaver's house, so I knock and enter. The naked girl with the chef's hat has fear in her eyes when she looks at me, tells me I shouldn't be here, and won't say anything more. Which is true enough, but I just came to look around, there is nobody there except her, and the place looks just like a normal house, nothing out of the ordinary, bed, fire pit , tables, couple of store rooms. Of course there may be a hidden room somewhere, but it's not immediately obvious. We leave.

[...]

It's mid afternoon by this point and we haven't got a lot done, so we head out into the wild. There's a muted occasional rumble, that could be the wind, or could be distant thunder. We better go get the horses, just in case we have to come back quickly. At some point I'll have to buy my own horse, but that means giving up the comforts of riding with Sofia, which I'm not quite ready for yet. It appears Nerida owns a. dappled grey horse that she rides bareback, that will stop people stealing it I guess.

We ride out past the watchtower, and wave to the Orc as we go past, we get to the turning by the fort, when the skies truly open. The sky is now the sort of colour that means the rain is here to stay, there is a loud rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning as if to confirm this. Sofia looks around at me, as if to say, "Really?" Nerida is hunkered low on her horse, shoulders down.

"OK, let's go back"

We turn the horses around, and pass the Orc on the way back.

"Those the God's wish to destroy they first make mad" I say and throw him an apple which he drops into a puddle. With a look of frustration on his face, he looks up at the sky, raises a fist and a lightning bolt lands about 1 pace away, and throws him onto the floor. He lies there dazed. "If you want us, we'll be at the inn" I say hanging low off the horse and pointing through the rain. We ride off.

[...]

We park the horses at the gate, and climb off, head inside, to the huntsmen. There are a fair few people inside sheltering from the rain so there are no chairs or tables spare so we stand dripping at the bar. We order a warm punch for three, "hardly the best introduction", I say to Nerida, "but welcome to the team" she laughs unkindly, but raises a mug anyway. We're on our second by the time the Orc makes it through the door, covered in mud, and dripping wet. I offer him my drink, which he sinks in one, belches loudly and goes to sit on the stairs, to take off his armour.

He tries to hang the chest piece on the cooking frame, but it collapses under the weight. He throws his hands up, steps over the wreckage, approaches the bar, slams a fist on it and shouts, " Beer!" There is a moments silence, before the barman reacts, I laugh, "make that two"

[...]

Part 29 is here