Dragonborn Saga

Chapter 84 She is my Aunt!

The business with the ship builders was done by the next day. I paid five hundred Gold Septim as half of the price upfront.

This ship will be the first sailing ship of its kind in this world. Mixing the ideas together took me a lot of time and studying but I am sure it will work.

I wanted to make a magical engine or something like the Dwemer machinery technology but I think this is still too advanced for me to apply, the idea of having a power source like a magical battery is still hard to apply.

Anyway, my business here was not over yet. I wanted to make some arrangements taking the chance I am here.

First, I went back to the main avenue and looked for any beggars. As soon as I found one, I paid them for some information about the city.

Beggars in Riften are a top notch information network if you could withstand the smell for a few minutes, and the same goes for the beggars of anywhere else.

In this world, there is an old tale about the ’Beggar Prince’. It said that long time ago in Valewood (The Home of the Bosmer aka Wood Elves) there was a prince who was the thirteenth between his siblings. He had no influence neither did he possess a talent to make him stand out, that made him decide to leave his home and venture for fortune on his own.

During his travel he saw a beggar being bullied by people, he saved the beggar who eventually turned out to be Namira, the Lady of Decay and the Daedric Prince of Rot and Disease. After knowing that, the prince saw opportunity for himself. He begged Namira for thirty three days and thirty three nights to take him as an apprentice.

Finally, Namira accepted and decided to reward him for his strong will. She said "I grant you the power of [Disease]. You may choose to be afflicted with any disease you choose, changing them at will, so long as it has visible symptoms. However, you must always bear at least one. And I grant you the power of [Pity]. You may evoke pity in anyone that sees you. Finally, I grant you the power of [Disregard]. You may cause others to disregard your presence."

The Prince was horrified by these terrible gifts but Namira said "As you begged at my feet for 33 days and 33 nights, so shall you now beg for your fortune in the cities of men. Your name will become legendary among the beggars of Tamriel."

And as Namira predicted. The Prince became an irresistible beggar. None could see him without desperately wanting to toss a coin at the huddled form.

However, The Prince also discovered that the power of disregard gave great access to the secrets of the realms. People unknowingly said important things where he could hear them. He grew to know the comings and goings of every citizen in the city.

Now, the point of the story is... ’Want to know anything? Just go and ask a beggar!’.

That is why I paid for a beggar and promised more if he can bring me all the information I needed.

What I needed was the movements of the undercurrents in Windhelm.

I was curious about the movements of Ulfric Stormcloak and the war he was about to start.

As an individual who knows the future, I want to know if my existence and the action I took so far may not change or influence the future.

I want to change the future but not anytime soon. The reason is simple. If I lose track of the future, I know by changing the events too much, I may cause problems I have no idea how to solve.

For example, the changes in Winterhold are obviously something that did not happen in the game. I even killed Sibbi Black-Briar who appeared in the game to prevent any harm he may cause to Wulfur and Svidi. Same goes for how I encouraged Jon Battle-Born to become a bard and get propose to Olfina Grey-Mane before anything happen between their families.

This may not seem anything harmful but the changes in Winterhold may cause the people to distance themselves from the Civil War. Also the problem between me and Sibbi may weaken the power of Maven Black-Briar as I heard she was being targeted by the Firemane Clan lately which eventually may cause more bad luck to the Thieves Guild and will also worsen Maven’s situation as an Imperial operative in Riften. And finally if Clan Battle-Born and Clan Grey-Mane were to tie their friendship by marriage then it will be unlikely for them to choose different sides in the Civil War.

None of that is bad at all but I don’t want the future to change. Not because I want a Civil War or a Dragon Break to occur. I know that they will happen sooner or later so I prefer them on a certain chain of events I can predicted or even use to my favor.

The Augur told me few interesting things about fate and how people can predict it by prophecies and change the fate by going against these prophecies.

My knowledge is considered a prophecy of sort so I can try to use it into my favor or change some of it but I should watch out for the consequences and the changes of fate.

That is why I am investigating the movements in Windhelm.

The news I got from the beggars were not good or bad but they told me that a number of envoys from and to the other holds have been seen more frequently as of late but the city still has its Imperial Legion soldiers.

The Temple of Talos is running all day with no signs of pressure from the Legion. And the East Empire Company is also working smoothly.

To distribute these waters it needed a lot of time from now on and it is Ulfric’s job so I don’t care.

Now, as I was done with my little investigation, I walked with Jull to the market place arm in arm.

Apparently, a Nord and a girl with the features of a Dark Elf walking together and carrying their treasured cat would attract a lot of hateful gazes of both Nords and Dark Elves. Luckily, my killing intent always scared scare people away.

Jull was having fun and I don’t want any unhealthy atmosphere to form around her, this market walk was our first and there is no way I would let anything to ruin my girl’s good mood.

Speaking of which, her mood was rather strange. Unlike her Tsundere day mode and Yandere night mode she was making a cute childish face whenever we pass on a stall and she see something she likes. Even though she was worried about Windhelm just the other day.

I bought some dresses for her as well as some gifts for Nurina, Laaneth and teacher Faralda.

Elishka also requested that I spread the news about the bathhouse in Windhelm’s market so I found a Notice Board and paid for an large sized employment advertisement.

My last destination in the market was the alchemist’s shop.

It is the shop that I requested the mixture that unlocked the treasure room of ’Forsaken Crypt’ where I acquired ’The White Phial’ from.

Funny thing is, the shop was also called ’The White Phial’. It was owned by an Elderly (Altmer) High Elf Master Alchemist known as Nurelion.

Even though he was a very knowledgeable person, he was another annoying old High Elf. In the game when he gives the quest of recovering ’The White Phail’ and the players return to him with the broken Phial, he gets upset and only pay five septims for the Phial.

After a deadly quest, he only pays five. I didn’t like the guy even though his skill was the real deal.

The one I was here for was not Nurelion, but his apprentice, Quintus Navale. A very friendly Imperial guy with good manners. After the player gets paid the fives septims of Nurelion, Quintus pays the player the rest and apologizes for his master’s short temper.

I pushed the store’s door open and walked inside. Just as I took a breath, a strong mix of herbal scents assaulted my nose, it was somehow pleasant.

"Welcome to ’The White Phial’, may I interest you in some of our potions and ingredients? Or you are here to make a request?"

A young man that is apparently the same age as I was standing behind the counter and welcoming us.

"I am here to make a request for a ship and for my journey."

Just as I said that the boy’s eyes lit up, he knew I am making a big request.

"By all means sir, my master is not here but I will take your request right away. I am Quintus, Quintus Navale."

"Jon Dare!"

"Jon Dare? The Jon Dare?"

"Am I known in these parts?"

"Known? You are the man who sent Jarl Ulfric back from the tournament empty handed, you are not just known. Is it true that you have beaten a whole team single handedly? And won a free for all match against more that twenty five opponents?"

"Whoa! Whoa! The people here know about me to this details?"

"Eh! No, it is just me and few others haha! You see, we have a very famous arena calked ’The Pits’ and I am a regular there so it happened that I heard about everything! I really regret not attending the tournament this year!"

Hehe! What a guy!

After fanboying around me for a while we started talking business.

"To think you are from the esteemed college, we are honored to make business with you!"

"Thank you! Here is my list, and here is the ship’s list."

"Hmmm! Healing, Stamina, Regeneration, Purifying, Acids, and Perfumes! I think all of them can be handled even by me. I have some in stock but if I start working now, I’ll finish everything by to night! When can you pick them up!"

"Hmmm! I am staying in the inn so I can come any time you want!"

"Oh! The inn? Fine, I am coming to drink tonight, I’ll bring the orders myself then!"

"Fine, then tonight drinks on me!"

"Haha! Thank you."

It was a short conversation but I think I made a new Alchemist friend.

After leaving the shop, I took Jull around and continued the shopping like a couple till sun started to go down.

After that, we became tired and hungry so we decided it’s about time to head back for the inn.

In the inn, Jull changed to a lovely dress I bought her and we went to sit in the inn’s hall, we were drinking and talking with Ongeim and the crew members. An hour passed and Quintus Navale came with two hired carriers behind him.

"Sir Jon, I brought the order!"

"Oh! Thank you, please join us! Ongeim, take care of the crates."

Quintus sat and we continued the conversation from the store, then we talked about alchemy, enchanting and magic.

After that we started talking about ’The Pits’.

’The Pits’ is Windhelm’s arena, one of the most brutal arenas in Skyrim. It has a prisoners’ fighting tournaments and death matches. Even killing the opponent was not considered going overboard.

"The next set of matches will be the day after tomorrow, it will be heated as ever. You must come, I promise you won’t regret it!"

"I will for sure my friend!"

"Know, I want to talk with you about an important matter!"

"By all means, go ahead!"

"You see, part if my objective in this visit to Windhelm is to meet with the assistance of Master Nurelion."

"With me?" Quintus became surprised!

"Yes and no! I didn’t know who you are at first but I just had an important business with your master. But I am afraid something may go very wrong."

Quintus was surprised but he managed to calm down. "Fine my friend, I am listening!"

"You see, just like your master, I am also obsessed with ’The White Phial’..."

"Now hold it right there! If you are trying to befriend me and say you want to help my master and want to take a look about his research, I am afraid you came to the wrong person!"

"No no no, nothing like that!"

"Then..."

"I researched the historical records about ’The White Phial’ and discovered its location!"

"What! Are you saying the truth?"

"Yes!"

"But that’s impossible! My master has spent most of his life looking for it and you just said you who is not older than me just found its location?"

"I was lucky! Lucky! And as a mage in Winterhold, I have access to historical records even your master can’t acquire."

"That is not very good for master! He will be shocked!"

"I know, he is an old person and he will get affected by disappointment really hard. I found out after I learned how much is he obsessed with the Phial. But that’s not even the end of the story yet."

"There is more?"

"Yes, I am an adventurer and to me, such a clue is something irresistible. I went to the crypt where the Phial was kept and recovered it."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Quintus stood up suddenly with a serious face.

"Shush! People will notice!"

"Ehem! Sorry." He sat then whispered, "Did you really find it?"

"Yes, it is in this wooden box. I was intending to share the discovery with your master and study it together with him, but when I found the Phial, a tragedy struck!"

I opened the box and showed the Phial to Quintus. He was amazed and in awe but when he saw the crack, his expressions turned as if he saw horror.

"Y, Y, You broke it?"

"No, I didn’t. I actually incapable of even scratching it. The Phial is made of the first ice that fell on ’The Throat of the World’ and it is mostly indestructible, unless..."

"Unless..."

"Unless you are its creator!"

"Are you saying?"

"Yes, the creator was the one to break it, regardless of the purpose, we must fix it. And your master can’t know of its existence or the truth that it is broken."

"You are right! If master knows, he may drop dead. But how will we fix it?"

"As I told you before, I was lucky to find its location in an old book, but I don’t know as much as your master know."

"I get what are trying to say! I’ll start investigating right away."

"The items we need are a foresworn Briar-Heart, a powdered mammoth tusk, and finally a snow from the throat of the world."

"I get it, a briar heart and powdered mammoth tusk are easy to be acquired, but the throat of the world is a different story."

"Leave the snow to me! It will take me a while but I will bring it. Your role is to investigate how it can be repaired."

After thos conversion we talked about the repairing and we made a few plans.

We also spent some time talking about this and that until midnight then he took his leave.

The inn hall was not still empty as a lovely Dark Elf bard was singing in a beautiful voice.

"Hey, sing us something fun." I said as I gave the bard a coin.

She saw a silver coin and became all smiles. She stated singing a sailors’ song that was pretty popular.

Some couples couldn’t resist and started to dance together. Just as Jullanar saw that, he eyes became all sparkles and looked at me.

She really wanted to dance. I guess we haven’t did that together before.

I didn’t let her down and took her by the hand to the middle of the hall and started dancing. It was just like hopping up and down and going with the song, no one in Skyrim was strange to that!

Few minutes later, the song ended and the people started praising the bard lady.

"That was some song, haha! Luaffyn maybe a Dunmer but she is the best bard in town!" A girl said.

"True!" Someone replied to her.

The people were in harmonious mood after the song ended but someone was in a state of shock.

"Luaffyn!"

It was Jullanar.

She looked at the bard lady with shocked eyes and she appeared to be in an emotional storm.

"Something wrong?"

Jullanar looked at me as if she was about to scream, she approached me and whispered to my ears.

"This woman, Luaffyn, she is my blood relative. She is my aunt!"