Skyrim IV: The Ghost of Hamvir's Rest

Chapter Three: Arodil

Arodil had whistled the night before to get the attention of the Dragonborn. Instead of her looking to explore what the sound was, her and her two servants had entered the house.  He was lucky that he had been able to hide out in the darkness. The female brute had left the house early this morning to look for him. She had just missed. But now, the time was near. Arodil had followed the Dragonborn and her spouse to the Town. He waited outside of the gates, just far enough from where the guards to where he could attack the Dragonborn. He was told to wound her enough to bring her to the Thalmor. Elenwen had been most insulted after the Party at the Embassy and the council meeting at High Hrothgar. Kill her mate, but bring her to the Embassy alive.  Skyrim would do much to save their savior who killed dragons. 
    His golden eyes flickered as he saw the gates to the city open and two people walk out. A man and a woman. 
   He licked his teeth when he heard the voice, her voice. 
 "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to get all upset back there, I just worry alot-" The Dragonborn was saying. 
 "My love, you will be perfect. I promise you, Skyrim is as safe as it can be thanks to you. Everything will be fine." The male said. 
Arodil gagged. He would dispatch the husband quickly but painfully, for what they did in helping aide the death of Vulono, his father. 
  He pulled out his long, golden dagger and stepped out from the shadows. 
 "Are you the one who is called Dragonborn?" He says, in a soft voice. 
  The woman stops. Her eyes widened and she slowly takes a step back. "Who is asking." She says, her voice a deadly whisper. 
   Arodil removes his hood, his white hair gleaming in the evening sky. "Vulono sends his regards from the Afterlife." He  leaps forward and raises his knife towards the girl. All he needed to do was injure her enough to tame her.  Her spouse intercepted his target and Arodil only managed to cut the Nord's Hand before the Dragonborn shouted. "FUS-RO-DAH!" She yelled and Arodil hit the ground with a thud. His head hit with a crack. 
    He attempted to get up but was too late as four of the town guards ran up, weapons drawn. Arodil hissed as the Dragonborn's husband pressed a silver blade toward's the elf's throat. 
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I ran over to Sinding's side as the guards rushed to aide us. "Thane Taniiaae, Sinding, what happened?" One of the men asked. I looked at Sinding's bleeding hand, but instead of fear, I feel angry. This man was one of Vulono's prior men.  I swallow. "This elf tried to take my life and the life of my husband. He openly attacked us." 
    The elf is hoisted to his feet as I say, "I want him taken to Dragonsreach's Dungeon. I will speak to Balgruuf concerning this."  The Altmer gives me a nasty look. I swallow as I see his eyes study me. He looks alot like Vulono, same white hair and nasty expressions.   
    "Thane?" 
  I turn as Commander Caius steps through the gates as the altmer is taken away by his men. "Are you alright, I heard that you were attacked." 
  I shake my head, "I am fine, Sinding might need to be looked at." I gesture towards my husband's sliced hand as Sinding smirks. "I'm fine dear, just need a good wrapping and cleaning and I am good as new." 
   I turn to the Commander and say, "I'd like to speak to the Jarl. The man who was responsible for the death of two of our former Companions has an ally who wants my head. We need to take care of this."  Commander Caius nods, "Yes, my lady. I will speak to the Jarl at once. Would you like me to let the Harbinger of the Companions know?" 
 I think about it for a moment, and shake my head. "With Aela gone to who knows where, it's better to not alarm Vilkas. But if you want to grab Njada, I could use her help." 
  Sinding raises his eyebrows in surprise as I wink at him. "Also, keep an eye out for Lydia, she has been gone since this morning, and I have a feeling that this elf might be behind the recent goings on." 

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     "Taniiaae are you sure this is a good idea?" The Jarl says as we enter the dungeon. Sinding looks at his hand, now wrapped in linen by Danica as Njada waits by the door of the dungeon. She smiles when she sees Sinding and I. "It must be pretty bad if you asked for me and not Farkas or Vilkas." She muses as she follows us to cell straight ahead. "It's bad, that is for sure." I say, as I come to the bars. 
The altmer had been stripped of his armor and was left in course rags fit for a prisoner. He sat with his back to the wall, barefoot. Yet when he saw me, his golden eyes glinted and he smiled.  "Dragonborn, you just had to come to see me. Your curiosity gave out."  
  I pulled over a stool and moved it to across so I could sit right in front of his cell. Sinding and Njada shadowed me while Balgruuf stood by my side.   "You spoke of Vulono, but he is dead. Who as he to you?" I say, getting right to the point. 
   The Altmer looked away for a moment, his gold eyes staring at something on the cell floor. He seemed hesitant. "Was he someone personal to you?" I ask, leaning forward. 
   No remark. 
"What's your name, elf?" I ask, trying to get something from him. 
  "Arodil." The elf says, his voice quiet. 
"Why were you trying to kill me? You said that 'Vulono sends his regards from the Afterlife.'" I say, reciting the the elf had told me before he tried to attack me.  "This seems to be a revenge mission....." 
  "Don't play dumb, Dragonborn!" Arodil spits. "It's because of you he is dead." 
 "He was a criminal against Whiterun." Balgruuf says, "He was part of the Traitorous Silver Hand,  who is responsible for the deaths of Skjor and Kodlak Whitemane of the Companions." 
  "I want to know, who killed him? Was it you, Dragonborn or the rebels, the Stormcloaks." Arodil says, his fists clenching. 
   I feel Sinding stiffen beside me. The Stormcloaks had been the ones to find and capture Vulono, but in a fit of anger, Sinding, back when we were still both cursed with the beast blood, had killed the elf for what he had done to us. I wasn't going to say that to this elf, he seemed unhinged enough to kill Sinding through the bars if he could. 
  "I am the reason he is dead." I say, and I hear Sinding suck in a breath. "What does it matter? He's dead, and the world is better off without him." I watch as Arodil stands to his feet and walks over to the bars of the cell. I stand up to face him, unfearingly. "Let me ask you again, who was he to you?" 
  Arodil grips the bars of his cell so hard that his knuckles are white, Njada and Sinding both take steps towards us in case something happens. 
   "He was my father, and I will avenge him." Arodil says.  
I suck in a breath, and I feel my head spin. The room starts to turn and I reach for the stool to sit down again. Sinding takes my arm gently and helps me sit. I look up to him and see understanding in his eyes.  
  Balgruuf looks from me to the prisoner in confusion, but Njada keeps her face blank.  
I clear my throat, "Do you know what kind of person he was?" I whisper, "I take it your mother was some fair Altmer lady from Summerset?" 
  Arodil glares at me, "What is it to you?" 
  "Because your father had raped my mother, and is the reason she became sick. It's because of him, you and I are closer than you think." I say,  "Because....we share the same father."  
  Arodil's hands drop from the bars and he looks as shocked as I feel. "We---what?" 
 "Believe me, I care less for it than you." I say, "But you and I? We have the same sire, the same wretch of the man helped bring us both into this world. We are siblings."  
        Before Arodil could speak, the door to the dungeon flies open and Lydia walks into the room with Commander Caius.   She looks panicked. "Taniiaae. It's Aela."