Skyrim V: Shadow over Markarth

Chapter One: The Jarl's Court

I hated court days. 
I hated them more than when I was a youngling joining the Companions and getting wailed upon by my Shield-Siblings. But as Dragonborn and Thane to Jarl Balgruuf's court and now Emissary to the Greybeards and the two warring factions of the Imperials and Stormcloaks, it was expected of me. I sat in an extra chair in the corner of the room, my two week old son bundled on my lap. 
  The Jarl was kind enough to let me take my newborn baby to court sessions while he was still nursing and small.  The rest of my family were around town while I was in the Jarl's Halls. Lucia often played with Lars and Mila, while Sinding was helping Eorlund Greymane at the forge. He often worked with Eorlund on Morndas, Tirdas, and on Middas. And he worked the rest of the week working on the Battle-Borns's farms. It made interesting dinner conversations as the Greymanes and Battle-Borns had a long standing feud. Lydia often accompanied me to Dragonsreach when I sat in on court meetings with the Jarl.  Serana joined me a few times as well. As daughter of a former king, she was seen as a small royalty in Whiterun. My brother Arodil had been spending time with the Companions during the day, being taught the way I was raised. He often showed for it too, being exhausted and beat up after a day with Aela and Farkas. 
  "Thane Dragonborn?" 
I snapped to attention as Proventus Avenicci stood in the center of the room, his attention on me. "What do you think?" 
  I blink as my baby, Aaiden squeaks in his sleep. I look as across the room, in his own seat, Vilkas hides a smile.  It gave me the urge to throw something at him, but I don't act on it when I turn to Proventus, "My apologies, dear steward, can you please repeat that?" 
 I could see how flustered the he was, but he repeated as kindly as he could, "I said that Jarl Balgruuf has received an axe from Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak in Whiterun.....it is a call to ally ourselves to his cause in the war, but I do not believe it's wise to accept it. It would lead us with odds with the Empire." 
  I blink, silenced in shock. I look at the Jarl and say,  "And what do you say, Jarl Balgruuf?" 
Serana sat beside me, dressed in her similar garb she wore when she was the princess of Volkihar. Even without saying it to the others, she was letting them know her history. Her blue eyes studied me as I glanced at her, and then back at the Jarl.
Balgruuf covers his eyes, and says. "I was hoping you would of been the one to give me your opinion first, Taniiaae before asking me."
"Sir, you do realize that its not so simple to return Stormcloak's Axe to him." Vilkas says, leaning forward in his seat, "That would be a proclamation of war with the Stormcloaks." 
"And accepting it would be a clear sign to the Empire that we support Ulfric's cause." Proventus said, clasping his hands together.
"What about the treaty?" I ask, "We all met together in High Hrothgar, with both  General Tullius and Ulfric agreeing to a temporary peace." 
 "It's been a year since Alduin tried to destroy our world, Dragonborn." Proventus said,  "And knowing Ulfric Stormcloak, his need for bloodshed has grown restless." 
I nod, I thought we would of had more peace than only a year. I look up at Balgruuf, "And what you think, sire?" 
  Balgruuf turns to me, his eyes lingering on Aaiden, sleeping in my arms. "I rather us not even have this conversation....but if I give back the axe, we are declaring war on Windhelm. If not, the Imperials will see us as traitors." 
  "You know who really benefits from this? The Thalmor." Vilkas says. 
"Now, let's not go pointing fingers-" Proventus tries to pipe up when Serana says, "From my experience of being awake in the last several months, I see where the Thalmor are the causes of all the problems. From the sacking of Jorrvasker with the alliance of the Silverhand, to trying to have you assassinated in your own town." She looks at me and I nod, remembering how I first met my long lost brother.  "I think if you really want to make a difference, then we need to bring in Jarl Ulfric and this General Tullius to another moot. And see what we can figure out. Maybe try to fight the Thalmor together." Serana says.
 "What you are speaking, would be considered treason, milady." Proventus said when Balgruuf slammed down his fist on his throne. "Proventus, that's enough. Lady Serana was the daughter of a long lasting lord, I believe she had the worth to speak freely in my court."
"Yes, the daughter of a vampire lord." Avenicci mutters to himself when I speak up.  "Jarl Balgruuf, I think what we should do is convene with Ulfric and General Tullius on even ground. Reach out to them in a truce, and ask them if we may meet halfway to discuss what this war is really about. I rather not anger Ulfric Stormcloak," I say, "But I do not want the Empire on our doorstep. I think it's best if we speak to them both and discuss what we must do to this war." 
 Aaiden started to squirm in his sleep. I look down at him as he opened his little eyes and started to get fussy. 
  I look up at the Jarl and say, "Is it possible that you will excuse me, my baby needs to nurse."  Vilkas smiles as Balgruuf nods. "I needed a break anyways. This meeting is adjourned. We will resume again on Middas." I nod and bow my head before the Jarl as I remove myself from the room. Serana and Vilkas do likewise as we leave Dragonsreach. Lydia waits by the doors and opens them for us. It is when we leave the Great Hall, that Lydia says. "That was tense." 
I nodded as I shhh Aaiden. I was going to find a private room in Jorrvasker to nurse him, but we had to make it there first, which he wasn't happy about.
"You would think Proventus would be with us, and not against us." Vilkas grumbled. "The man has always been paranoid, but panicking over the hatred of the Thalmor is strange, even from him."
 "He definitely didn't like me." Serana mused.  "I don't think he knew how to handle you, Princess." Vilkas smirked. 
 Serana gave him a sweet smile, "Don't worry, my father didn't know how to in the end either." I shudder at the thought. When Serana and I were both vampires and the bloody fight we had against her father. 
 "You know, we have given up so many things to keep the peace with other factions," I say, thinking of Auriel's Bow in Isran and the Dawnguard's Hands, fighting Miraak not only to help Skyrim, but Frea's people in Solstheim, and most recently, putting the God-Cleaver hidden away in the deep vaults of Jorrvasker, "That we never had time to really keep the peace within our own war." 
  Vilkas shook his head, "I think when Kodlak was alive, he and Balgruuf had spoken to each other about possible scenarios if we had war on our doorstep. I don't think either men thought it was going to happen."
 "As emissary, I would hope I wouldn't have to be dragged to Windhelm or Solitude to help prevent the war, but as Dragonborn, I believe I will have to be there with the Jarl if we want to save our own city." I say as we head down the where the Gildergleam Tree stands and towards Jorrvasker. Vilkas opens the door to us and we walk into the Mead Hall.
 Aela looks up from her book while she is sitting by the hearth. She looks at us up and down before she says. "Court go well?" 
"Don't ask." I say, as I grab a shroud and cover myself and Aaiden before I start to nurse him. I sit in a deep chair and sigh. "Ulfric Stormcloak sent his war axe to Jarl Balgruuf." 
Aela's eyes widened, "He's asking for support in the war." I nodded. "Kodlak told me once that he never wanted to be involved in the war, but he saw sides to both of the warring people. He understood the freedom fighters of the Stormcloaks, but he knew that the Empire was trying to keep the peace with the Aldermari Dominion." 
"I can't believe the old man has been dead for over a year." Vilkas shook his head. I nodded. 
Serana picked up an apple and started to eat it. "I'm sorry I never met him, he sounded like a good man." 
"He was." Aela nodded.
"Tell me something, Taniiaae." Serana said, sitting on the edge of the feasting table. "Is Arodil your only surviving relative?" 
"Mmmhmm, my mother died when I was a girl, and my father....." I make a face. "Well, you all know about him." 
Serana nodded. "Do you think your mother has any family in these parts? She was a Breton." 
"She was, but not that I know off, unless she was a native of High Rock and I wasn't aware." 
"There are the Reachmen in the West, in Markarth territory." Lydia said. 
 I shook my head, "I had a feeling that if my mother was of Reachmen blood, she would of said something. They are a proud race of Bretons." 
  The doors to the other side of Jorrvasker opened and Farkas came in, a huge smile on his face, with a bruised and dirty Arodil. My Altmer brother looked at me, his gold eyes exhausted, and a look of death. 
"You tired?" Serana teased.
 Arodil gave her a smile and I could see Vilkas tense up a little.  "He's not too bad for a whelp," Farkas said, sitting down and guzzling a tankard of mead. 
 We listen in silence as Farkas swallows his drink quickly. Aela makes a face while Lydia gives a small smile. I looked at her in amusement as she steels her face back up.
 Arodil says. "I'm making my own for sure." 
"Don't get too comfortable, elf." Vilkas growls. Serana shoots me a glance and then excuses herself from the room. Aela raises her eyebrows at me and I'm about to reply when the door opens and Lucia scampers in.  I'm finish up feeding Aaiden as he falls asleep when I see Lucia and I gasp. Her little face is covered in blood, from where her nose was bleeding.  "Lucia!" I exclaim as I hand Aaiden over to Aela who holds the now sleeping baby. Lucia stops as I kneel down and cup her face in my hands. "What happened? Did you fall?"
Lucia shook her head, I could see angry tears in her eyes, but more anger than tears. "Braith is a big meanie! She was being mean to Lars and Mila! So I told her to back off. And then she punched me the nose!"
  I hear Farkas guffaw and I glare at him as I use a cloth to stem her bloody nose. I sit her in the chair across from where Aela is holding my son and I shake my head. "I should go over and talk to her parents......" I say, but then I remember her parents, Amren, a local sellsword and his wife Saffir. Two Redguards who seem to let Braith run wild on the streets.  I wasn't close with them at all, and didn't really want to tell them how to raise their daughter, but I wasn't going to have them beating up on mine.
 "Ok," I say, standing up. "I'm going to say something to her parents."
"Don't bother..." Lucia said, holding the cloth to her nose. "Lars already tried, and he just got more beat up." 
  I scratch behind my head as Vilkas says, "It seems that she has been doing this alot lately. I'll try talking to her parents. It may sound better coming from me as Harbinger of the Companions."
I nodded. If it was coming from someone who wasn't a parent to a child that Braith was bullying, it might be better this way.  I nod at my friend. "Thank you, Vilkas." He bows his head at me and Aela says. "It's getting later, maybe your husband will be finishing up soon." 
  I walked over to her and took Aaiden into my arms.  He slept soundly as we switched and I look at Aela. "It's getting late, around five in the evening. Does Eorlund usually work late?" I ask. 
  Farkas eats a piece of bread and says. "Well, maybe you don't remember, but he usually worked late into the night, especially after his son went missing in the war. But you have always been a heavy sleeper, Tanii." I roll my eyes and say. "I'm going go check on him. See how much longer he has. If Serana comes back, tell her to wait for us." I look at my daughter. "Lucia, are you coming?"  
  Lucia held the cloth to her nose and pulled it away and shook her head. "No, I'll stay here with Uncle Arodil and make sure Farkas and Vilkas don't fight him." Arodil's gold eyes shut up from the book he had been reading and he looked concerned for a moment. I look at Vilkas and then Farkas. "No touching him, alright? I don't want any damaged goods to bring home." I say and Farkas spits up his drink. I leave the Mead hall with the baby in hand and walk up to the Skyforge. The evening sky is starting to turn a dark pink and purple as the sun is going down.  I hear the clanging of steel and the forge as work when I step unto the precipice. Eorlund Greymane clamors away at a steel sword while Sinding soaks them to cool them down. It was a process and they seemed to work together seamlessly. Eorlund looks up from his smithing and he says in a thick accent, "Taniiaae, what a pleasant surprise, and you brought the little one." He takes off his gloves and heads over. I smile at him and he asks. "May I?" 
I nod, "Of course!" And I hand him over the sleeping baby. 
  Sinding comes over and puts and arm around my waist and kisses my head. He is covered in sweat and dirt, but he seemed happy.  Tired, but happy. "How was your day?" I asked him as Eorlund smiled at our son. Sinding gave a tired laugh, "Uneventful, other than Nazeem coming up twice to bicker about the quality of Eorlund's work."
 I scoff. "That man is never happy. I'm surprised he wasn't at court this afternoon."
"How is courtier life treating you?" Eorlund asks as he hands Aaiden over. Sinding gladly takes him as I shrug. "It's fine."
Eorlund chuckles. "Taniiaae, I've been married for decades. Fine means the opposite with women." 
  Sinding smiles at me and I sigh. "It's exhausting, honestly. In a different way. I didn't realize how even members of the Court who I have known since I've grown up here, are more conniving than I thought they were."
"What do you mean?" Eorlund asks, crossing his arms over his broad chest. My voice dropped a little, "Vilkas could back me up, but Proventus Avenicci is proving to me more of a Thalmor sympathizer than I ever thought."
Anger flared in Eorlund's eyes, "What do you mean, Taniiaae?" his voice dropped, chillingly low. 
Goosebumps rose on my arms and Sinding stepped closer to whisper. "Eorlund, what's wrong?" 
Eorlund looked at my husband and said, "My son, Thorald, has been missing as you know. Fralia, my wife is hopeful that he is alive and the Thalmor have him imprisoned somewhere." 
  He looks up at the darkening sky and says. "If we have Thalmor sympathizers in our own city, than we are in danger. I knew the Battle-Borns are loyal to the Empire...."
"When we were at the meeting in High Hrothgar over a year ago," I said, "Tullius seemed as thrilled to be among the Thalmor as we did. I think those who support only the Empire are not who we need to worry about." 
"But those who support the Thalmor...." Sinding nodded. 
"We need to just listen, but try not to say anything. I don't think Avenicci is a threat, especially since his daughter has been nothing but respectful of me, even trying to patch the feud I have with Battle-Born." Eorlund said, "But we can't be so certain. Just be careful in court, Dragonborn."
  I nodded and Aaiden started to whimper in Sinding's arms. Eorlund smiled. "It's getting late, and I'm sure you are both exhausted. Sinding, I will see you in the morning. Taniiaae, as always, a pleasure." Eorlund bows his head a little and heads down the forge. I take Aaiden from my husband's arms and he settles. 
  As we walk down the steps of the Skyforge, I look at my husband. "I can tell you more later, but there is one thing I need you to know." I say. 
"And what is that?" Sinding asks. 
"Lucia got in a fight today with Braith. She was punched in the nose." 
Sinding's eyes got big. "My little girl was hurt?" 
I nodded, "Amren and Saffir's girl. Apparently she was picking on Lars Battle-Born and Lucia tried to stand up for him." 
 "Sounds like her mother." Sinding mused, shaking his head. "But my poor little girl. I might have to talk with her father."
"Vilkas is already going to, but if you want to as her father, you have my blessings." I say as Sinding opens the door to the Mead Hall and let's me and the baby walk before him. "I was going to, but Vilkas says my status as Thane and Dragonborn would make it worse for Lucia." 
Sinding nodded, "As mean children can be, I think he is right."
  As Sinding leaves me and walks over to Lucia. I see as Arodil is sitting besides Serana and the two are talking quietly. I look back over at Sinding who is now examining Lucia's face and then hugging her as he picks her up. I smile. He was such a good father. I look back over at Serana and Arodil and say, "Ready to head home?"
Serana grins and says, "Yes, I can only take so much of the big-headedness of your family."  
"Imagine living with them from when you are only a child until last year." I say. 
Serana exhaled. "I can't and nor do I want to." She winks at me. 
  Sinding walks over with Lucia in his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck and he says. "Where is Lydia?" 
"Oh, she went  to the Bannered Mare with Farkas." Aela spoke up as she walked behind us. "I wouldn't wait on them." 
  I blinked, but then smiled. "Alright then, I guess it's just us that heads home."