The Great War-A Skyrim Fanfiction-Book One

Chapter Three

Talen's back was sore from all the riding he'd done. The brilliant sun struck his face with such intensity that he had to squint. He reached for the bottle tethered to the side of his horse, clasping his fingers around the hard glass bottle.The moisture stuck to the sides and he pulled it out of its harness, putting it to his mouth and taking a long, hearty sip. The cool water was a miracle, waking his senses, cooling his mouth, soothing his soreness. Reluctantly, he put it back and took the reigns with both hands. Ahead of him he could just make out the mounted form on Linwen, riding ahead. She said she was scouting, but for what Talen could only guess. Food, water, shelter, perhaps even foes. Supposedly the news about last night's attack had spread like wildfire-he wouldn't be surprised if someone unsavory came after them about it. He tried to ignore the possibility and focused on the road ahead. After departing Windhelm in the dead of night, they had taken the main road for a spell, then, as the sun rose, she deemed it too risky to remain and took him through the wild. Currently they were travelling along deer trails, somewhere in the southern parts of Whiterun Hold. He'd seen the city on his right not too far back. The great palace Dragonsreach was just visible over the treeline behind him-he heard that it could still be seen for miles in any direction. He could only hope that whoever had sent the assassin couldn't see them....

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After Talen returned to the room with the body, arms laden with cheeses, breads, meats, sweets, and wines of all kinds, Linwen gestured to the ground.

"Right next to the body?" he asked hesitantly.

"Don't worry-we'll move it before we strip the body," came her straightforward response.

"Strip it? What do you mean strip it?"

"Well, she's wearing some...important things."

"Oh, like what?" said Talen in an exasperated tone.

"Well, for one, this armor is...rare. Like really rare. And incredibly useful. The special enchantments placed on them are incredibly powerful. Also, they have quite a bit of money. There's at least four hundred septims in here, plenty for lodgings if we should need them, and also these jewels."

Linwen reached into a pouch on the body and after feeling around for a little, pulled out a large handful of jewels.

"This is easily worth ten times the septims we have. Probably closer to fifteen, if I can sweet talk whoever will buy them."

"How would you manage to do that?" he asked. "It's not like there's a potion that'll make you suddenly more convincing-"

He was cut off as Linwen pulled a small vial from a pocket and held it out in front of his eyes.

"Think again. There's a potion for literally everything. Also, I...had an arrangement with an organization...two, in fact. I have a few powers that come in handy in that aspect of the field."

She reached under her armor and pulled out a necklace, chained tightly.

"This is...the last sign left of one of them."

"Who were they?"

"Their name was the Thieves Guild. Their home was in Riften. I joined them about ten years back. After a few complications with the last leader, who just disappeared around the time the Dragonborn did. I became their leader for two short years before one day I came back from a particularly long and difficult job and found their base cleared out. Everyone and everything of value was gone, but the furniture and everything too big to move was there, empty. That was one of the hardest days of my life."