Child (Book 2)

Chapter 3

Dear Kodlak,

After leaving Gallows Rock and witnessing the death of Skjor, I have decided that I need some time away from the Companions. The senseless killing of the Silver Hand has taken its toll on me, and I need to be away. At this time, I do not know if I'll return. Please do not search for me or worry for my safety. I can only express my deepest condolences for the loss of Skjor, and I only wish some things had happened differently at Gallows Rock. I may write again in the future.

-Nova
   
I fold the note and hand it to the courier, along with a few coins.
"Where am I taking this?" He asks politely as he puts the note away in his satchel..
"Kodlak Whitemane, at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun."
"And your name?"
"Novariana." I reply.
"... Of Rorikstead? Oh.. I've been looking for you." He stutters as he shuffles through his bag. Finally, he pulls out a small note and hands it off to me before excusing himself and tiptoeing out the door.
   
Novariana,

You haven't written back, and I can only grow worried. While my job at Black-Briar Meadery pays well, there is something strange about the place. I took on other jobs where I could use my magic, as a mercenary. It pays well, my fee is 500 septims. It is enough that I can afford to quit my job at the meadery. We could have a life here, Nova. Why do you not come? Why do you not write?

-M

Guilt seeps into me and my shoulders sink. This is the second letter he mentioned, I probably didn't get it because it was sent to Jorrvaskr. I sigh and cross my arms on the table to lay my head down.
"Nova." Someone says quietly behind me. I sit up and look over my hood to see Marcurio standing behind me in new mage robes, not the ragged ones he was wearing when we met.
"I apologize for everything I said last night. I was angry. I never meant to... Upset you." He says quietly. I nod.
"I lost my temper," I agree. "We'll call it even."
"What did you need my help with?" He asks, sitting down at the table with me. I watch him carefully, wondering if he would ever believe that I'm a monster. My coin purse sits in my lap, still miserably smaller than what I think the College would demand; and under my hand sits his letter; he notices it and grimaces.
"I... was wondering if I might hire you for a job."

~

I thank the carriage driver and hand him a few coins. It took a day and a half of travel, but we have arrived at back at Whiterun stables. The city looms over us as Marcurio gets my bag out of the carriage, and I watch it silently. I wonder what Vilkas is doing. I don't want to, but I can't help but think of him. What if the Companions see me here? They'd be asking questions, a lot that I can't answer yet. With this in mind, I reach behind me and pull my hood up.
Marcurio interrupts my thoughts.
"Ready to go?" He says slowly. I flinch and blink quickly, pulling away from my thoughts.
"Yes. We should be heading towards Riverwood." I tell him as we walk down the path.
"So do you mind explaining what kind of job this is exactly?" He asks after a few minutes.
"Well, when I arrived in Whiterun a few months ago, I spoke to the Jarl about the dragon, and his court wizard asked me to go into Bleak Falls Barrow, an ancient tomb near Riverwood, and retrieve some sort of stone tablet. I'm not sure exactly why he wants it, but apparently it has something to do with the dragon. Problem is, I don't want to go in alone." I explain sheepishly.
"Ah, I see. So that's why you have the armor." He says with a smirk.
"What do you mean?"
"You bought the armor to go into the Barrow. Not that I blame you, it's not a terrible investment; just not one I need."
"I have the armor because I'm a Companion," I explain. "I'll need it for more than just today, I'm sure."
"You? A Companion?" He says, stopping short. "I don't understand."
"Did you think the giant sword was just for show?" I scoff.
"Well, no, I just... They're a bit brutish, aren't they?" He asks, scratching his head as he continues up the path.
"Some of them, maybe. Others not so much."
"I guess I just thought of you as more of an intellectual. They're just mercenaries, there's no honor in it." He says, wrinkling his nose at Jorrvaskr, just barely visible above the city wall.
"Mercenaries like you?" I ask with a smile, elbowing him gently. He stops short again, turning back to me with his jaw hanging open.
"You insult me, Companion." He laughs, taking the jab in stride. We pass a Whiterun guard on the road; I give him far too much leeway to be casual; I don't want to catch his scent and lose control.
"Marc, I had a question. About the College."
"The College?" He laughs. "Perhaps you are an intellectual."
"Do they know much about curses?" I ask. He shoots me a suspicious glance.
"Daedric curses? Not particularly. That sort of research is more limited to the Vigilants of Stendarr, although I wouldn't call what they do 'research'." He scoffs. "Why do you want to know?" He asks.
"A man came to us at Jorrvaskr a few weeks ago. He was trying to cure his son of vampirism." I explain, trying to swallow my disappointment.
"How would a band of mercenaries cure vampirism?" He asks, still smiling.
"We can't. He was asking us to kill his son, and take him out of his misery." The story is not a lie; Aela told me about it, though it happened long before I ever came to Whiterun. "We told him we weren't assassins."
"Oh." Marcurio says, his face dropping.
"What would you call it?"
"What?"
"You said you wouldn't call what the Vigilants of Stendarr do 'research'. What would you call it, then?" I ask, hoping if the College can't help, maybe the Vigilants can.
"Hunting." Marcurio replies.

~

"Welcome to the Riverwood Trader, just tell me if you see anything you like." The shopkeeper tells us as we enter the store.
"Actually, do you have any healing potions?" I ask him, stepping up to the counter with Marcurio close behind me.
"Sure do. How many do you need?" He questions while leaning under the counter to check his stock.
"Probably all of them.. How many do you have and how much do they cost?" I ask quietly. I don't want to spend too much, but I don't want either of us to die in there on account of the fact that we didn't have enough. Though it's expensive, we end up buying out his stock of healing potions.
"May I ask why you're buying so many potions?" The shopkeeper asks briskly.
"We're going up into the barrow, we're going to need them." Marcurio explains.
"Did you say you're going into the barrow?" A girl's voice pipes up behinds us. I turn and see a pretty dark-haired girl standing on the stairs. "Lucan, they're going into the barrow! They can get the claw back! Can I come with you?" She says excitedly. She may be my age, but she seems to act much younger.
"Camilla, calm down.." The shopkeeper, Lucan tells her.
"What's she talking about?" Marcurio asks him. He sighs and lets his shoulders hang.
"The shop was robbed last week, but the robbers were only after one thing, a solid gold ornament in the shape of a dragon's claw. They must've come from the barrow, the place is full of bandits. My sister here has been bugging me to let her go after it." He explains. Good, bandits. I think, rolling my eyes. I don't know why I hoped it would just be draugr. Camilla stands with her arms crossed on the other side of the room.
"Well someone has to do something." She complains.
"We'll be sure to bring it to you if we find it." I tell him as we step out, leaving the siblings to their arguing.
As we're discussing the easiest way to get up the mountain, Camilla bursts out of the door to the shop.
"My brother won't let me go with you, but if you'd like, I can show you the path up the mountain. I can only take you so far, though." She explains quickly.
"We would be grateful, thank you." I tell her.
"We'd better get going before he changes his mind." She giggles with a wild look in her eyes. Leaving the village, even if for a very short time and distance, is probably the most exciting thing to happen to her in weeks, months maybe.
We're following her out of the village and back towards the road that leads to Whiterun as she jabbers endlessly about what we should be prepared for in the barrow, when a young man carrying a lute under his arm springs out of the inn and rushes to her side.
"Camilla! I wrote you a song on my lute, would you like me to play it for you?" He asks eagerly.
"Maybe later Sven, I'm busy." She dismisses him. His shoulders and face drop, and he drags his feet back to the inn, disappointed. As we're getting closer to the bridge, someone springs from the woods next to the road and once again rushes toward Camilla.
"Camilla! Where are you going? I was just on my way to come visit you." The bosmer says quickly and blushes slightly when he does.
"Oh. Right. Sorry Faendal, maybe not today. I'm helping these travelers right now, we can talk later." She says quickly, hardly even stopping to look at him. Faendal looks just as disappointed, if not more than Sven did. Heartbreaker, this one.
She walks us to the end of the bridge and stops there. The girl sighs mournfully.
"Well, this is it. The path is just straight ahead, up the hill. This is as far as I've ever been allowed to go. I wish I could go with you... Good luck." She says sadly. I nod slightly to her and continue ahead up the path. She doesn't walk away when we do, she stays and watches us.