Skyrim V: Shadow over Markarth

Chapter Fifteen: Old Friends

It was pitch black by the time we had made it to Rorikstead. Vilkas dismounted his horse and said, "Let me quickly go in and let the inkeeper know who to expect. We don't want to turn many heads while being so close to Markarth still." I nod as Lucia is asleep, her head on my lap, and Aaiden in my arms. He was wide away and alert. He reached his chubby  little hands out of his swaddle and tried to grab my loose strands of hair. I turn as he pulls. "Aaiden, what are you doing?" I say softly as he coos. Sinding gently helps remove my hair from our son's fingers. "What are you doing to your Mama's hair?" he laughs and I gently hand him over to hold him. Vilkas comes back outside and says, "The innkeeper, Mralki says he can give us the basement. It's usually not seen by the public, but there are a few beds down there there for us to sleep on." 
"Mralki?" Sinding echoed, looking up from Aaiden. "I didn't know he still lived here?" 
I look at Sinding in surprise. I remember we had spoken about where he both grew up, and he had mentioned being raised near Rorikstead where he was friends with the innkeeper and his son.  
  I turn to him, "Your friend Erik's father?" 
Sinding nodded and handed Aaiden back to me. He picked up Lucia, who was still asleep and stepped down from the cart. He waited until I stepped down as well, followed by Serana and Arodil, and lastly Ronthil who jumped down from the rider's seat in front.  The inn door was open, and a older, balding man came around the corner.  His mouth dropped when he saw Sinding, followed by me and the rest of our party. "Sinding? The gods be good!" He smiled as he clapped my husband on the back. "Here, I'll lead you all downstairs, Erik is preparing the quarters for you all, then we can speak." I smiled as we followed Mralki down behind his counter. A folded up rug laid crumbled by the counter. Mralki used his foot to swipe it away, revealing a secret basement. "You seem prepared." Irileth says. "It's not everyday the Jarl and his court appear on an innkeep's doorstep." The older man said, "But the Harbinger here said he rather things stayed quiet while you are here, so here you are." We followed him down the steps to the basement. Lanterns were lit, but there were four beds, plus many sleeping matts for everyone to have a place to sleep. A younger man, around Sinding's age, had just finished putting a cauldron of something delicious smelling on the table when he turned around to face us. He had long, reddish-blond hair, and a short beard. His green eyes lit up when he saw Sinding. "Sinding! My old friend! How are you!? Last I heard you were in Falkreath, but now....wow...are the children yours? Who is the beautiful girl beside you?" He babbled on as Sinding set the sleeping Lucia down on a bed mat and then he turned and grabbed Erik into a big hug. I smiled as I held Aaiden to my chest, the baby now asleep.  "It's been too long, my friend." Sinding says, releasing his friend." Mralki sits down in a chair across from us as Vilkas announces. "Balgruuf will get the bed." 
"Arodil should too." I say, "We need him to heal, not get worse." I look at Vilkas, "You should also get a bed, and Serana." 
   "Give it to Ronthil, or you take it, Tanii." Serana said, as she sat cross legged on a mat. "I'm finding myself very comfortable here."  
 "Tanii, you take the bed." Vilkas said, "Sinding, you take the other." 
"I'll lay with Taniiaae, that way, one of you can have the last bed." Sinding says. 
 "Give it the Bosmer." Irileth says, "I'm exhausted and prefer if we don't bicker over who sleeps where. The cots on the floor look just as comfortable." 
  Mralki nods, "If you need anything please, let me or Erik know." He turned to Sinding, "Not trying to talk your ears off, son, but I'm curious, like Erik. What all has happened. And it seems that these are your children, and this beauty here, your wife?"
 Sinding sits down on the bed, and puts his hand over my waist. "Yes, this is my wife. Taniiaae. Savior of Skyrim and Solstheim, and my savior."  I blush as Erik and Mralki looked utterly surprised and dumbfounded. "You can just call me Taniiaae." I say, my cheeks hot. "Any friend of Sinding's is my friend." 
   

      The night went on for hours, but in a good way. Sinding sat with Erik and Mralki across the room, telling his story, from his first journey to Falkreath where his accident happened, to meeting me, to my endeavors across Skyrim and now finally with us escaping Markarth.  I laid in my bed, Aaiden in his small crib by my side, and Lucia beside him. The others had fallen asleep, and I too had felt sleep wanting to approach. I closed my eyes as I listened to Sinding catch up and laugh with Erik. Mralki soon excused himself to go to bed, but Erik stayed down and spent time with Sinding. I smiled as pulled the covers up to my chin and closed my eyes.  I open my eyes when I feel movement on the bed and Sinding gives me a sheepish laugh. "Sorry, I woke you, please go back to sleep, my love. I'm just now getting to bed." I close my eyes and nod, resting my head into the crook of my arm. "I'm glad you have friends to talk to." I murmur sleepily. I feel Sinding wrap his arms around my belly and his chin rests in my neck. I can hear him laugh. "I am, and I'm glad to have this family." I nod but don't hear anything else he says before I slip back to sleep.
 
     The next morning, (and by morning, I meant late afternoon), we all gathered together to discuss the rest of our plans. We all were comfortable resting in the Frostfruit Inn, but the urge to go home was strong. 
   "When we get back to Whiterun," I say, "I will send a message to the Greybeards, asking for a meeting in their monastery. 
  Vilkas nods, "I'll reach out to the Imperials and Stormcloaks, asking if we can move the meeting to the beginning of the new year, in the time of Morning Star."
  Balgruuf nods and I turn to him in surprise. I hold Aaiden in my arms as Lucia reads a book that Erik had bought for her. "We agreed to meet them on the 2nd of Sun's Dusk. That gives them over two months to start up the war again and throw away our peace negotiations."
 "Not if I intervene." Balgruuf said. "Once I explain to them, what happened in Markarth, I am sure they will be willing to keep the peace until the time of Morning Star. I plan to leave for Solitude on the 31st of Frost Fall, as you mentioned how long they should keep the peace." 
 "But...why? Won't that give the Thalmor more time...."I ask when Sinding nods. "You are a very heavy sleeper, my love." He gave me a kiss on my forehead, "So while you were resting, we spoke about all these things.....and we agreed. If the Thalmor don't see us meeting sooner to stop the war, they could believe there is an issue amongst ourselves."
"And we will take that chance to bring our allies closer and more in number." Irileth says. "Plus, after the Markarth Incident, we need to know who is on our side first." 
"Write to the Greybeards, get their blessings." Balgruuf says, "I will reach out to Tullius and then Ulfric. We will explain everything, and then, we will meet in the first week of Morning Star." 
 I'm about to speak and Vilkas pats my head. "For once, 'little sister', let us help you. We will take care of this meeting." 
 "Yay!" Lucia squeals, alarming us all, "Then we can celebrate our first Saturalia together with Aaiden!" I jump. I had forgotten about the Holiday. We didn't celebrate it much in Jorrvasker despite the city decorating for it. And last year, I was still dealing with being sick from pregnancy sickness and helping save Skyrim. I had given Lucia a few gifts, but most of my free time was retching up. "Oh, Saturalia, right." I nod. 
Sinding smiles, "We will have a proper one this year. I know it." 
   Our voices hush as Erik comes down, "I heard talking, wanted to join in." 
He looked at the others and his voice dropped to a whisper, "Actually, I want 'in.'"
Sinding tilts his friend, "What do you mean, Erik?"
Erik scratched the back of his head. "I'm bored out of my mind here. I know my Pa wants me to own the Inn one day, but that is years from now. I don't want to sit in Rorikstead and wait for that. I want to go out and explore the world, leave this little village for a while."
"Then why don't you  just do that." Serana said, her back to the wall. 
"Because my da is afraid for me." 
Irileth scoffed and Erik panicked, "No, really! Please, if he here's it from the Jarl of Whiterun, the Dragonborn and the Harbinger of the Companions, then I'm sure he will cave!"
 I see as Vilkas looks at me, and then we both look at the Jarl. He chuckles. "I'm sure we can arrange something."