Chapter 10 - Doing Time
So we're up to Chapter 10. I appear to have a few followers as each chapter is given around 20 or so votes, a few will favourite it, and my list of personal followers is slowly but surely growing. But I've had very few comments so far. Anyone have anything they'd like to see going forward? Things they liked so far? Things they didn't like for any reason?
Don't feel obliged, but I do like to hear from those who take the time to read and vote, even if you just want to say 'It was good' or 'It was shit'. If you don't want to comment, send me private feedback. If you leave an email address, I'm always willing to reply.
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Markarth... Now there is a city I hope I never have to visit again in all my days. What should have started as a simple job to ensure Guild influence ended in... well, quite frankly, unmitigated disaster that I'm still trying to wrap my head around. The fact I'm still alive speaks volumes to pure luck, and is another example that Nocturnal must now watch my back.
It was meant to be a simple job, much like the others. Meet a contact, do a job, ensure the spread of Guild influence, not only in the city but throughout the entire Hold. It all started to go horribly wrong the moment Karliah and I walked in the city gates...
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Stabling our horses, it had been some time since I'd visited the city. In fact, I'd only visited the place once, when I had to find Calcelmo, infiltrated his laboratory and retrieved the information that eventually found Karliah innocent of what she'd been accused of.
Remembering how on edge the city had felt last time I'd visited, I mentioned it to Karliah a couple of times during our ride, and reminded her a final time before walking through the gates. Coming to a stop just past the entrance, the marketplace was busy, as they always are, but it was the glint of a weapon that caught my eye. Before I could even shout a warning, Karliah had her bow out and arrow knocked. There was a loud voice of someone shouting something about Forsworn, the scream of a woman, and then a loud groan as the arrow Karliah fired found the exact spot it had been fired.
City guard were on the spot in seconds. Thankfully the woman still lived, though had taken a wound across her stomach, Karliah immediately stepping forward to help heal her. Meanwhile, the guard herded everyone who had been present into a corner and warned us to forget what we'd just heard.
"We know what we heard. The Forsworn are here!" someone retorted, with plenty of agreement.
Swords were unsheathed. The city guard were apparently not fucking around. The guard in charge pointed his sword at various people. "I will not repeat myself. The Markarth City Guard are in control. There are no Forsworn in this city. Do I make myself clear?"
There were murmurs of agreement, I think most people simply saying yes so the guard would piss off and leave the rest of us to talk about what happened. Karliah was still looking after the woman as the crowd finally dispersed, and that's when I had someone hand me a letter, claiming it was mine. Before I could even say anything to him, he'd already walked off. Opening the letter, it simply said 'Meet at the Shrine of Talos.'
"What's that?" Karliah wondered.
"Someone just handed me this letter." I told her what it said, and though both of us were intrigued, we agreed to help the woman first. Karliah had managed to heal her and we escorted her to the Silver Blood Inn, where she had a room. Once we had her lying down on her bed, she told us who she was and, to our complete surprise, admitted why she was in Markarth. If the knowledge that she was an Imperial spy had been known, little wonder someone had tried to attack her, though she was adamant no-one could possibly have known.
I showed her the note I'd been given, and while I couldn't explain who had given it to me, as it had happened so fast, I couldn't describe the person, but she suggested it could be related to the attack on her. I think that was a suggestion for me to head out. So I headed out alone, Karliah letting me know that she would buy us a room for a few days.
Walking into the Shrine of Talos, I was surprised it was still open, considering the worshipping of him was banned. I walked in without a weapon in hand, but my sword and dagger were both sheathed, shield on my back. I could have one or two weapon in hand within two seconds if this was a ruse.
The man I met introduced himself as Eltrys. He wanted the help of an outsider as he couldn't trust a soul within the city walls itself. Asking just what the hell was going on, he replied, "You want answers? Well, so do I. So does everyone in this city. A man goes crazy in the market. Everyone knows he's a Forsworn agent. Guards do nothing. Nothing but clean up the mess."
"Why not go to the guards? The jarl?"
"Because they're either in on it or refuse to deal with it, keeping their heads in the sand." He sighed and sagged against the stone pillar behind him, running a hand through his long hair. "Look, all of this, what you just witnessed in the market, it's been going on for years. And all I've been able to find is murder and blood. I need your help. Please. Can you find out why that woman was attacked, who's behind Weylin and the Forsworn? I promise I'll pay you for any information you bring me."
This was well above what I normally did. I was a bloody thief, not an investigator. But a part of me, a small part, but it was surprisingly vocal, was interested in what was going on. Who in their right mind would attack a woman in broad daylight, knowing they would probably die because of it? You'd have to be an absolutely bloody fanatic.
I said I'd help, on the proviso he told me everything he knew. So I asked about the murders, unsurprised to hear they'd begun around the time of the civil war and just afterwards. The Forsworn themselves were natives of the Reach, opposed to Nord rule. As for Weylin, the man who'd tried to murder Margaret, Eltrys knew little about him, and knew nothing about Margaret except her name. Asking the best way to keep in contact, he said I would be watched by a couple of people who did believe him, and whenever I entered the shrine, he would already be waiting.
Returning to the Silver Blood Inn, Margaret was alone in her room, so I sat down with her and discussed what I'd spoken about. She knew Eltrys, and warned me about the reputation he had in Markarth. However, once I'd explained what he told me, she believed him and me, and went into further detail of why she was in Markarth.
"Apart from just keeping an eye on things, I was sent here to obtain the deed for Cidhna Mine."
"Whatever for?"
"It's the largest silver mine in Skyrim, and its proceeds are used to fund the Stormcloak army. Aside from that, I'm also investigating Thonar Silver-Blood."
"Okay, why him?"
"We believe he is the man behind the Forsworn. But I think your first avenue should be looking into the man who tried to kill me. What was his name?"
"Weylin. Apparently he lived in the Warrens."
"I can only suggest you find what you can there and come back to me."
Karliah was sitting at the bar, so I pulled her aside next to the fireplace and explained what was going on. She thought I was getting in over my head, and that Markarth's problems were not my own, but I had to admit that I was intrigued by it all, and though part of me was screaming to simply do the job we'd come for and leave, the other part wanted to see it through. She wasn't particularly pleased, but relented in the face of my yearning to do it. "I might make us a few coin too," I suggested.
It had already been a long day, so by the time I visited the Warrens, it was already growing dark. The Warrens reminded me of the Ratway in many respects, so I remained quiet as I moved down the dark hallway. I eventually found a couple of people huddled over a campfire and asked a few vague questions about Weylin. Of course, they knew him rather well, and after saying I was looking into the matter, one of them gave me a spare key and said I could take a look around if it helped.
To say Weylin had absolutely nothing would be close enough to correct. There was some hay and a tatty blanket which I assume he slept on. It was under the blanket that I found a letter. The words were few, but it was clear Weylin had been ordered to kill. But there was no name, just an initial from whoever sent the letter.
Walking back outside, there was a large brute of a man clearly waiting for me. I was always amazed that people would want to fight me, considering I looked rather sinister in my black armour, but some people were obviously idiots. I strode forward until we were a couple of metres apart.
"I assume you want something."
