Chapter 5: Windhelm
The wind whistled through the trees as the carriage rocked and bounced over the cobbles and potholes in the road. It had been a rather uneventful journey until I was suddenly jolted out of my daydream by a loud thud on the side of the carriage. One of the horses suddenly startled pulling us off the road. “What was that? “ I exclaimed.
“Bandits! Get your head down!” He warned.
Two men, one scrawny looking the other burly and muscular sprang out from behind the bushes. I readied my sword and crouched down by the wooden bench using the sides of the carriage as cover.
“Show your face Khajiit” the large muscular swordsman shouted. Gingerly I looked over the side at the two men who were stood a few feet away. One had a bow and arrow who had shot the side of the carriage the other carried an ebony sword and shield.
“That him?” asked the swordsman. The other examined a crudely drawn mugshot of a Khajiit and then looked at me. “Think so.”
“What's your name” the swordsman demanded. I gave him a false name – I didn't know these men and I wondered what their gripe was with me unless it was for the crime of simply being a cat-man.
“Don't lie to me cat. We have a price on your head.”
“May I ask why?” I queried.
“You're wanted for the murder of our gang leader. As are your dark brotherhood allies.”
“What? I'm no member of the dark brotherhood. Let me see that warrant!” I demanded.
“Sure” he said with a sneer pulling his sword from it's sheath. I ducked as an arrow whizzed past the side of my head. I quickly readied my weapon and used my superior agility to leap from the carriage to attack the swordsman who rose to the challenge.
“You are gonna make me a rich man” he laughed as he swung for me. I ducked and sprang around him to strike at his rear but my sword bounced off his armour with a clang. He smirked and swung his sword for another attack. I managed to move out of the way and glanced at him looking for any weak points in the steel armour he wore. There was one. On his unprotected neck.
I readied myself raising my shield to block another attack and thrust my sword forward at his throat piercing the flesh. As the man's blood gushed out he stared at me with surprise and horror dropping his weapon and clasping his hand to his neck. It was in vain as he collapsed to the floor. The archer however was having second thoughts as I advanced on him. He looked very young and clearly lacked skill compared to his mentor I'd just slain.
He dropped his bow and fell to his knees before me, lowering his head and cried “Mercy! Please!” I stood silently holding my sword above him. I moved one foot closer to him so it was under his face as he lowered his head to kiss it. I quickly moved it away before he could. “ I dislike people who try to kill me then think I can just forgive if they lick my boots” I said as I placed my sword against his neck. I thought for a moment of the irony. "How do I know you won't just hunt me down or turn on me once I let you go? Well I'm not gonna give you that chance."
“No please, let me go. If you are not the one we are looking for consider joining us. We have a large network of bandits around Skyrim and it can be a very profitable good life.”
“I'm no common thief” I said as I drove my sword through his neck. I sighed and cleaned my sword in the snow. I rummaged through both men's belongings gaining some food, healing potions and most of all a few thousand septims. I also took the warrant and showed it to the carriage driver.
“Does this look like me?” I asked.
“Kind of but whoever drew that clearly was not very talented. That document isn't even legal but there again I wouldn't have expected it from bandits. It probably came from high up in their chain of command. Those two men will be part of a very large group. We should get out of here.”
I screwed up the document and threw it over my shoulder as I climbed aboard. The horses had calmed down and we were soon on our way.
The driver was correct. It was nearing 8pm when we arrived at the stables outside Windhelm. The weather had got increasingly worse as we had journeyed from Riften. It was cold, so very cold I shivered as I looked around at the deep snow. Everything was covered and the fir tree branches hung low weighed down by the snow. My breath froze on my fur around my face where it hung in small icicles and ice crystals.
I looked over the frozen river towards the docks where in the lamplight Argonians could be seen unloading a ship that had docked. “That's us done for today” the driver said breaking my concentration. “What now?” I asked.
“Well for me, I'm staying at the inn then if the weather reports are favourable we can continue our journey.” He looked at me and continued. “You have anywhere to stay?”
“No. Nothing in mind. Ill make do” I answered bluntly. I knew it would be a waste of time trying to enter the city. As he walked over the bridge into the city I turned to the stablemaster who was tending to the horses.
“Do you know where I can find room for the night?” I asked.
“Where do you think?” the plump woman answered bluntly and without any sympathy for my situation.
“I'm not allowed in the city.” I stated. “I just want a bed for the night and a warm fire. I have money.”
She looked me up and down. “There ain't any room here for you if that's what your'e thinking. She threw me a tarpaulin. “Use that if you wish. It will fit over the carriage.”
It was a suggestion; I'd be sheltered from the snow and wind but the cold was so numbingly painful on my fingers and toes. I had to find somewhere.
I walked past the guard tower at the side of the bridge and began to walk across. Two more guards stood in their wooden pillar boxes about half way across. When they saw me they advanced and blocked my way with their pikes. “Where do you think you are going?” they demanded.
“Please, I wish to stay at the inn for the evening.” I almost begged.
“Over my dead body. Do you know beast races are not permitted in Ulfric's city?”
“Yes I'm aware of that. But Ill be gone in the morning.”
“Enough time for you to pollute the place with your stink” one jeered. “Go on; get lost.”
“I see Argonians on the docks” I pointed out gesturing over the side of the bridge.
“Aye, that you do and that's where they stay. We employ only Argonians as dock workers due to their willingness to work and their strength. They are never allowed in the city unless Ulfric himself says otherwise.”
“Skyrim's for the Nords” the other added. We don't want you here. Understand?”
That was it. I'd had enough of these racist arseholes. I shouted various insults at them in my native tongue to much laughter and returned the way I'd come. I had to find somewhere soon as frostbite would soon set in.
It was very dark and started to snow heavily. I took shelter under the roof overhang in front of the stables. I could see a couple of houses in the murk – farms by the look of it but what they farmed in this weather I did not know. I decided to hammer on the door of the first one and offer whatever I could in return for some warmth.
An old man opened it. “Who is it?” called a woman of similar age from inside.
“Uh. A cat” the man answered.
“Cat?” the woman questioned joining her husband.
“Oh.” she said surprised when she saw me stood there wet and ice hanging from my fur.
I held up a bag of coins taken from the bandits earlier. “Please I need rest.”
The woman looked at her husband briefly who frowned in bewilderment then turned to me. “You poor thing, come inside.”
I must have looked pathetic. Finally I'd found a scrap of kindness and decency in these Nords who were as cold and unforgiving as the land they inhabit. I did not need to be told twice. “Thank you” I said as I walked into the warm room. I was shown to a chair and sat down.
I offered a bag of 500 septims. “Please take this in payment for allowing me to stay the night. I do not require a bed; I can sleep on the chair. I just need food and a warm fire.”
The man took the bag and looked inside. His face lit up with a beaming smile and hastily stuffed it into his pocket as he thought what the money would pay for. “We can offer you this and a bed. Our son left several months ago and never returned. His bed is free.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.” I said sorrowfully. I looked across the table and saw something that made my blood go cold. There, on the wall was a painting of a young man who looked very much like the one I had killed earlier. I nervously cleared by dry throat and regained my composure.
I now had to explain to the elderly couple what I was doing in Skyrim after all they had let a stranger into their home. I had to make a few things up of course especially the part were we were attacked by bandits. Fortunately the only witness was the driver as we picked up extra passengers after the attack and nothing was said to them.
I tried to pretend to be interested in finding their son and offered to send him home if I ever come across him although I knew this would never happen as he was lying with his throat cut out in the ditch a good 30 miles away.
I didn't sleep well that night. I felt very depressed at robbing this genuinely pleasant couple of their only son who they clearly loved dearly. I had to be out of there as soon as possible. I didn't know what they would do if they found out and I was still here. Send for the guard maybe? I didn't really care; I was more worried about seeing their anguish when they realised their son's killer would be sat with them. I swallowed the lump in my throat and silently vowed never to kill again unless absolutely necessary and finally drifted off to sleep.
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