Hasir walked through the market district and climbed the stairs that led to Dragonreach and entered. Inigo and Xelzaz followed him
and gasped at how huge the Jarl's keep was. Hasir had been here twice before as he did not feel the urge to look around.
The Jarl over to Farengar's desk, where he was scribbling out a spell on a piece of parchment, that there was someone to see him.
The court wizard put the quill down on the desk and walked out to the main room, saw Hasir and smiled.
"Hasir, wonderful! Come to my office." He said excitedly
He told Xelzaz and Inigo to stay put while he saw what Farengar wanted. The wizard asked if they knew how to 'weave
enchantments.' Inigo promptly shook his head but Xelzaz nodded and smiled saying that he had some experience in the matter. The
two Argonians followed Faregar to an old enchanting table nestled against the wall a few feet from his desk. Hasir looking over to
Farengar's desk upon which the wizard had placed three spellbooks.
Hasir asked what weaving enchantments was and how it worked but Farengar told him to first retrieve, and read, the spelltomes.
Hasir did so, seeing familar symbols dancing around him only to be enveloped by his body. Hasir placed the now empty spell books
back on Farengar's desk and walked over to the enchanting station.
Farengar smiled at Hasir and Xelzaz with his hand firmly placed on the enchanting station.
"Have you either of you ever heard of spell-weaving?" Hasir shook his head and Xelzaz nodded ethusiastically. "Well, spellweaving is
the art of using a complex hand motion to imbue something with power. In this case, we will be using this art to strengthen weapons
and armor."
Farengar told Hasir to pick an item from his bag and he will show the Argonian how to do it. Hasir smiled as he placed the nordic
longsword on the enchanting table. Farengar frowned as he eyed the weapon. He picked up a dagger from a shelf to the left of the
table instead.
"I thought we would enchant something simpler instead." The argonian scowled at this, "Scowl all you want but do you really want to
start your enchanting journy with something as big as that?" He asked gesturing to the longsword, "I think not. Now, watch me and,
if you are able to, match my moves exactly."
Farengar strenched his arms straight over to dagger with his eyes closed as he was going to enchant from memory. Hasir face
screwed up in unease as the court wizard started tracing a comlpex symbol with his hands and stared down at the weapon. His chin
nearly hit the floor as the dagger started to glow, a faint green outline appearing on the edges of the dagger.
Fanegar stepped back so that Hasir could see the glowing dagger and told Hasir how he'd enchanted the dagger and that he would
like the Argonian to try. The argonian looked shocked at this,
"So what you are saying, is you want me to enchant the same way you did? How the hell am I supposed to do that?" He gestured to
the dagger, "with my eyes closed?" Hasir shifted uneasily on his feet, "Sorry Farengar but if I close my eyes, how am I to see the
item I want to enchant?"" He asked, removing the dagger from the enchanting table and placing the nordic longsword where the
dagger had been.
He glanced next to him and saw Xelzaz grinning at him with a piece of armor with the resist magicka and fortify health enchantment
on it resting on the table. Hasir gaped at the Telvanni Argonian,
"Xelzaz, how in Oblivion did you do that? I could never put two enchantments on the same item; not even if my life depended on it."
Farngar instructed Hasir to stay focused what he was working on not on what someone else was doing. Hasir apologized and turned
back to the task at hand. He extended his arms, palm dow, over the enchanting table, stared constructing an image in his mind of
what he thought the symbol of the 'drain fatigue' enchantment looked like. He weaved his hands in and out and around one another.
He could feel warmth spreading from his mind through his arm ands into his hands. He opened his eyes, mind still focused on the
image, and was amazed to see tendrils of magic extending downward from his hands entertwing snakes and envelope the sword.
Farengar watched, truly amazed, as the enchantment took hold, the weapon glowing green. When the last tendril of magic escaped
from Hasir's feverishly moving hands, Farengar took the enchanted sword as well as the Nordic cuirass to Irileth and instructed her
to make duplicates for the Imperial armor and that he, personality, would worry about the enchantments.
Hasir looked over to the desk and was a bit dismayed when he found bits of armor that did not have enchantments on them, namely
the nordic helmet, boots, greaves and gauntlets. He groaned wondering how on Kynareth's green earth he would manage to weave
enchantments in four pieces of armor. Xelzaz put a hand on the frustrated argonian's shoulder and told him they would accomplish
this together.
After hours of work, Hasir looked happy from the glowing pieces of armor to Xelzaz,
Well Xelzaz, I hope this will suffice." He said with a sigh of relief. Xelzaz nodded as they carried the armor over to the dunmer
housecarl. Inigo joined the two Argonians at the Jarl's throne and asked Balgruuf if he deemed the deeds enough to buy a house in
the city.
Jarl Balgruuf nodded, stood up and adressed the Argonian primarily as Inigo did nothing to contribute.
"I have been told be Adrinne that you were succesful in your endeavors. Very well, I will now hear you out. Tell me about these
khajiit."
Hasir told the Jarl the extended version of the story he'd told him a few days before. A smile curved the Balgruuf's mouth as he said
he'd be delighted to grant Vajhira and Amahka refuge in the city and would personally send anyone who treated them as different to
the depths of Oblivion. Hasir thanked Balgruuf for his kindness and left the hall with Xelzaz and Inigo.
They walked down to the city gate, pushed it open and walked down the cobblestone path to the camp that the khajiit caravan had
set up near the city and went into the largest of the tents. He saw Amakha and Vajhira sitting in a circle with the other khajiit and
called out to the two of them.
Amahka and Vajhira walked over to Hasir, uncertain expressions on their faces.
"What do you want to talk to us about?" They asked, eyebrows raised. "is this, perhaps, about the housing? Did Balgruuf come to his
ense?" Hasir nodded and directed them to the gates of Whiterun. When they exited the tent, Hasir walked over to Inigo and Xelzaz
and sat down.
Inigo smiled and placed his hands in Hasir's claws. The khajiit eyed Hasir warmly, his tail coiling around Hasir's tail,
"My friend, that was a good thing you did for Vajhira and Amahka. Shall we go into the city and ensure they don't get into trouble?"
Hasir hissed in appreciation and said that it was nothing.
"Inigo, I don't think we should assist them in their endeavor, they'll be fine." He said
The blue khajiit ignored this and strode off to Whiterun to see if the Jarl would make good on his promise to give the khajiit houses
inside the city. Hasir shrugged his apprehensiveness of and followed Inigo out of the tent.
Once in the city, Hasir hid behind a rock wall opposite Warmaidens. He did not want the two female khajiit to see him keeping tabs
on them. Seeing the smart blue cat pass by, Hasir whispered to Inigo. He was a bit dishearttened when the khajiit seemed not to
hear him. Frustrated, the Argonian grabbed Inigo's tail and yanked him behind the stoney half wall.
Inigo whipped his tail out of Hasir's hands and straightened the blue fur on it. With his tail groomed to his satisfaction, he turned on
Hasir who had a clawed finger pressed firmly against his lips. To cement this, he told Inigo to be quiet when he opened his mouth.
"Be quiet you damned cat!" He snarled and looked toward the market district. He could clearly see the two khajiit ascending the
stairs up to the Wind District.
Hasir told Inigo that they should proceed cautiously so as to not alarm the khajiit. Inigo began to protest but the Argonian shook his
head and, for good measure, cast an invisibilty spell on the pair of them. Hasir and Inigo sneaked through the city, up to
Dragonsreach and entered. They crept through the hall; only stopping when the neared the fire pit.
Inigo saw the two khajiit walking up to the Jarl's throne and stopping in front of it. Irileth strode up to them,
"Hello cats. Been chasing any yarn balls lately?" She said laughing as the two khajiit snarled, "Go back to your mud huts." She said
with a snarl. Hasir glanced over to Inigo and told him that that was the same way that Aela had treated him. He wanted to expound
upon this but Inigo shook his head and pointed to the Jarl's throne.
Amahka's teeth flashed through the air; catching the dark elf in the arm. Irileth's eyes narrowed as she drew her ebony sword.
"You'll pay for that, you n'wah!" She said, advancing on Amahka ready to strike. Irileth sheathed her sword just as she heard
footsteps. She stepped back from the khajiit just as the Jarl reached the bottom step.
Seeing the khajiit, he smiled uneasily as if he were unsure of why there were there.
"Greeting khajiit, I am Jarl Balgruuf, an Argonian named Hasir told me about you and he wished to give you housing inside my city."
He said as he took his seat on the throne. "I have sent him out to do jobs for the citizens of Whiterun. I would not normally pemit a
Thane to trade his property and give it to another but as that is what he did, I have no choice but to propose that opportunity to
you."
He stood up and paced the floor before the khajiit, "Where is Hasir?" He said, his eyes sweeping the hall, "I was expecting him
to be here so he can witness you two accepting your new house." Hasir reappeared, standing in front of the fire and walked over to
the two khajiit who were trying to determine what a Thane was. Hasir lent close to Amahka and Vajhira and explained the title. They
grinned at him.
Jarl Balgruuf smiled at Hasir who returned the gesture and asked Hasir if he really wanted to do this. the Argonian nodded.
"I've conversed with the Argonian. It is my great honor to bestow upon you both the title of Thane which was previously to be held
by Hasir. The title allows you to live in my city and it also means you'll not be chastized for neither your race or whatever accent you
may possess." His face fell, "It is my deepest sorrow that I only have one house for sale and it is near the amror shop, Warmaidens.
I gather you have no objections?" The two khajiit shook their heads. Balgruuf smiled, "Very well then, Vajhira and Amahka, I grant
you residence there.
Amakha bowed her head in respect but Vajhira looked inquisitively at the Jarl.
"Jarl Balgruuf, I already work in Whiterun, at the, er, chapel near Whitefish river. Wouldn't it be more feasible for me to live in
Jorrvaskr so I don't have to walk through the city? There is already a trapdoor behind the mead hall IU can access."
The jarl considered her words and smiled warmly.
"Of course you can stay at Jorrvaskr Vajhira." The orange khajiit smiled in appreciation. Balgruuf turned to Amahka, clearly thinking
of something, Amahka, if you are to stay in my city, you need work. I cannot abide you to stay in my city and laze around." He said
glowering at the khajiit. "You could work at Warmaidens and be Adrienne's assistant, seeing as her husband is busy selling armor."
Amahka beamed at Balgruuf. She was delighted to have a sense of purpose and she was grateful for Vajhira as well, though she
already know she already had a place of residence.
Hasir smiled to himself and turned to leave when Vajhira embraced him,
"Thank you. I can't explain how much you help my friend and I."
Hasir felt a warmth overcome him that had nothing to do with the fire.
"You're welcome, Vajhira. I just had to try because I saw you khajiit living miserably in a camp much to small for ten khajit to live
comfortably, beyond the walls of Whiterun, a city where bull- headed and rascist nords live." He glanced angrily toward the direction
of Jorrvaskr. He chuckled, "Trust me, I know what it means to have someone hate you for being different and alienate you for it. It
isn't right."
Vajhira kissed him on the top of his head and departed with Amahka toward their new homes. Hasir thanked Balgruuf once more,
walked over to Inigo, who was now visible, and left to find Xelzaz so they could discuss the next step of their plan
Once they arrived at the khajiit camp, they found Xelzaz sitting with his eyes closed with the other khajiit sitting around him and
K'hairi in the center. Hasir and Inigo sat on the outer rim of the circle and wondered what they were doing. K'hairi eyed them and
told them they were praying to Kynareth to praying to her to make the Nords see sense and cease their rascist ways.
The argonian and blue khajiit closed their eyes and could see an image swim before their eyes. The image was of K'hairi pleading to
the nature mother to plant the seed of knowing in the minds of Nords and anyone else deemed a bigot in this cold land.
Hasir saw K'hairi sitting alone in a field rife with flowers and wildlife. On her outstreched claw was a small bird, a canary, Hasir
thought judging from its yellow feathers. He walked through the field in an attempt to listen to the conversation. It was then that
Hasir know that he had supernaturally enchanced hearing and did not need to get closer. He got down in the grass, resiting one arm
on one knee while the other was underneath him, and tapped into his wolf spirit in order to pick up what they were saying more
clearly.
Hasir could hear the rustling of grass and the wind caressed it like an owner strokes his dog's fur. Through the wind, he could clearly
hear voices.
"Kynareth, I wish to speak with you. Many cities of Skyrim frown upon those different from them, myself and my eggbrother
included. I want to help in anyway I can but I don't know how. My brother also sees this, he says nothing but I fear it is happening to
him as well." She sobbed into her hands, "what should I do?"
The canary opened its beak and instead of a chip came a woman's voice,
"My dear K'hairi, you don't need guidance, we divines do'nt believe in meddling in the affairs of mortals like the daedra do. We prefer
to sit back and watch as mortals go about their business, we only one instruct when they have need of us. I hope you know that
even if I did intervene I could not do much. My sphere of influece as well as my creation, is nature, the birds, the wind and the sky. I
am not one to stop sqabbles wherever they may appear. My brother, Hircine, is more inclined to do that. Even if he does act, he can
not erase rascism form this world. It will always exist."
With those less than helpful words, the canary flew off into the field leaving K'hairi alone with her thoughts. The field began to
shimmer and fade. The next thing Hasir know, he was back in the tent with all eyes fixed on a thoroughly downtrodden K'hairi.
A dark red khajiit voiced his outrage at the unhelpfulness of Kynareth.
"So your saying that the gods will not help us? What are we supposed to do, convert every bigot ourselves?"
There was a murmur of ascent at the khajiit's words. A grey-furred khajiit voiced his opinion next.
"I was brought of Elsweyr as a cub. When I arrived here with my parents, we were belittled and made less than others just for our
'strange' was of speaking and choice of fashion. We had our possessions broken and bodies bruised, for no reason at all, other than
'racial superiority'." He swore in Ta'agra, "We should do something even if the gods cannot, we should form a revolt." He glanced
around at the two Argonian present. "I am sure even the Argonians here feel the same way. By Oblivion, the Nords see the
Argonians only as boots for their feet or slaves, not even remotely equal in status to other beings, much like us khajiit; though we
are often referred to as rugs."
K'hairi's eyes snapped open as she was aware of many angry khajiit voice carried to her on the wind.
"Calm down will you, Xuth! You act as though someone stole your yarn ball. patience please." She grow more flustered as all khajiit
present, except for Inigo, raised their voices in protest.
Hasir glanced angrily over to K'hairi and saw she was on the verge of tears. He walked over to her and put his claw in hers.
"You khajiit should be ashamed of yourselves. Begging too much of a poor, innocent Argonian just because a certain goddess won't
here your pleas? I mean, honestly, the gods can't do such as astronomical a task as erasing rascism from Nirn. It would be a very big
ask of them to do so and they have much greater problems on there hands. I am sure you are aware of Molag Bal and his
neverending quest to destroy nature? Focus on that instead of forcing the gods to fix your petty problems. I mean, sure, racism is
indeed a problem but it is not the main problem."
K'hairi thanked him for standing up for her, he told her not to mention it. Hasir's tail rose and fell and he hissed appreciatively,
grabbed Xelzaz and Inigo and left the tent. as he did so, he passed several khajiit, much of whom were still stunned by his speech
seconds before, and out into the cool air. Inigo's forehead creased as he pondered upon what they are to do next.
"Inigo, we've got to get to Karhspire came in order to salvage the key that the Doomstrider stole as well as procure six Welkynd
stones and a dwemer diagram denoting the stones' placement."
Inigo nodded and headed for the stables. Hasir was about to mount his own reptilian steed when he heard the sound of boots coming
up the cobblestone path. He turned and saw his eggsister staring at him. Hasir waved nervously at her,
"H-hi. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be back there ensuring there are no riots going on?" K'hari shook her head and said she was
coming with them.
Hasir sat beside the stables with his head in his hands. K'haiiri walked over, sensing her brother was in dire straights. She glanced at
her eggbrother and asked what's got his tail in a knot. Hasir sighed and told her that she uncertain how to clear out Karthspire of the
silver hand.
K'hairi opened her mouth to answer her brother when she saw Bjorlam coming up the road looking like he had something on his
mind. The female Argonian looked questioningly at him.
"Bjorlam, I don't believe we've met. I'm K'hairi." She said proffering her hand in kindness.
Bjorlam relaxed the reins of his horses and walked over to Hasir.
"Hasir, I've been told that Danica is looking for you." Hasir asked what she could possibly require of him. "Dunno, but it has
something to do with Khash."
Hasir raised an eyebrow,
"Khash, isn't that door closed?"
Bjorlam stared at Hasir, frowning slightly,
"No. apparently it reopened." He closed his eyes to stop from rambling aimlessly, " Look," Her said impatiently, "I could tell you more
but you've got to go up to the temple so you can see for yourself."
Hasir glanced warily at the carriage driver. He wanted to explain the processes of Argonian burial rites and the Hist to the Nord but
knew he wouldn't understand.
"Hold on a minute," He said, allowing him some time with his thoughts, "I thought that Khash's mom was dead. She can't come back
from the dead. It's impossible unless she died in front of a Hist or was brought there if she died elsewhere and when then absorbed
by the Hist and, in turn, was given a different body?" He looked quite amused as Bjorlam tried to wrap his head around this.
Bjorlam cleared his throat,
"Yes, I-" He furrowed his brow at Hasir, "Talk plain Tamrielic, damnit!" He said, jumping up and down and looking like a teapot about
to boil over.
Hasir gulped as he did was that teapot to explode in front of him. He quickly changed tactics.
"Well, I mean, erm... didn't she die during Kash's hatchling years? If so, that woman up at the temple," He said pointing towward
the temple, "is the reincartation of Khash's mother."
Bjorlam became even more confused the more the Argonian spoke. Deciding against confusing him further, Hasir decided to go up to
the temple of Kynareth and see for himself. He got up, gave Bjorlam and slight wave and walked up the road to the city gates and
pushed them open.
Hasir proceeded past the houses and shops that lines the cobblestone street and headed up the stairs toward the temple. He
knocked and Danica answered, looking delighted to see him.
"Hasir, what a surprise." She said in equally parts annoyance and delight, "To what do I owe the pleasure this time? Do you need
healing again? Did you break another bone or perhaps..." Hasir waved her down, saying that he was just hear, on Bjorlam's
instructions, to see Khash's mother. Danica stood aside and let him pass.
Hasir's eyes scanned the temple and fell upon a red-scaled Argonian wearing a fur-lined hood and a green dress with a brown
underskirt beneath it. He could heard her sobs ringing throughout the temple and saw Khash's both wrapped in an Argonian shoud
he'd never seen before. It had scenes of khash's hatching, her life and sadly, her death depicted on it. Gasir took a deep breath and
walked over to the reptilian stranger.
"Hi, I'm Hasir, and you are?" He said this slow as he was a bit nervous of meeting people he did not know.
The Argonian heard this, turned around and held out a clawed hand,
"Please to meet you Hasir, I'm Anum-La, the swampknight," Hasir said that it was a pleasure to make her aquintanc and looked at
her, eyes narrowed, and asked her how she got such an 'interesting' title. She waved this question off as if it were unimportant and
glanced downward as she figured out a way to verbalize her next thought. "I doubt that title has any bearing here as I was given
that titlte by the honorable eight. It was a faction of Saxhleel warriors formed In Blackmarsh and I doubt there is such a guild here in
Skyrim that would consider a beaten down old Saxhleel like me joining."
Hasir put a hand on her shoulder and told her that he was certain she'd be able to join and should not be hard on herself. Anum-La
smiled, embraced him, pushed the door open and headed toward Jorrvaskr. The argonian went to follow her but knew he had to pay
his respect for Khash first. He knelt by the stone table and bowed his head. He whispered a prayer in Jel and walked out of the door
and poceeded to the meadhall.
When Hasir got to the meadhall and pushed open the double doors, he saw Anum-la hugging Farkas and Vilkas, in turn, as if she
knew them in some way. The nords offered her a spot next to them at the long table.
Hasir stepped over the threshold. His mouth fell open as he saw Anum-La and the two Nords talking in hushed tones. He sat at a
table near the door and gestured to the female Argonian. She stopped talking to the Nords and moved to where Hasir sat and sank
into a chair opposite him.
The argonian asked Anum-La why on Tamriel she chose them to talk to and not Kodlak. He tented his claws on the table, staring at
her,
"What were you talking to the Nord twins about? Shouldn't you've gone to talk to Kodlak if you wanted to join?"
Anum-La shook her head and waved a dismissive hand toward the undercroft.
"I'll do that later. What I was talking to Farkas and Vilkas about was how I was in the Honorable Eight in the Blackmarsh fighters
guild." Hasir asked what the 'Honorable Eight' were. The female Argonian raised a spiky eyebrow, "You've never heard of them?" She
slapped her forehead in shock, "Right, I forgot. Your egg left Blackmarsh so you could've not heard of them."
Hasir eyed her in surprise,
"How did you find out about that?"
Anum-La scoffed at him and rolled her eyes,
"Oh come on and you call yourself an Argonian. Ever heard of the Hist? of the telekinetic link they give us to communicate with other
Saxhleel and the the region of Blackmarsh as a whole?"
Hasir suddenly looked sheepish and nodded his head. He clearly his throat nervously,
"I...er, yes, well, I am an Argonian, that much is clear and yes, I have heard about the connection between us, the Hist and
Blackmarsh. Well, time's wasting. What did you and the Nords talk about?"
Anum-La stared at him and told him, a bit harsher than she thought, that she already told him.
"Hasir, get the mud out of your ear-holes! I already told you that!" She snarled forcing Hasir to recoil in fear. Her expression
softened, "Sorry about that Argonian. The honorable eight was a warriors Guild in Blackmarsh headed by a dark green Argonian,
Dalum-ei." Anum-la took a breath and let Hasir take this all in. Once she was concerned that he had taken this all in she continued,
"The members of the guild were khajiit named Moon-Tail, a redguard named Bodan, a bosmer named Indrel, an Imperial named Ilia
as well as another, dark red-scaled Argonian female named Ula-Wei."
Hasir looked up at the darkened sky just visible through the boat's roof and sighed.
"Well, I'd better b getting to bed. You should come to, I mean, if you want to ask Kodlak if you want to join," He said as his tail slid
between his legs and looked sheepish. "I can understand if you've changed your mind..."
Anum-La barked a laugh and started for the stairs to the undercroft.
"Not at all, Hasir. I wonder if Kodlak has heard of the honorable eight." Hasir shrugged and followed her down to the large
undercroft." Hasir followed Anum-La through the double doors at the bottom of the flight of stairs.
Hasir glanced up and down the hall, eyed Anum-La making her way to Kodlak's room and called out to her.
"I'm going to bed. It's late and I expect you are going to Kodlak's room so...good night and good luck." He said waving at her and
approaching the door to the whelp's room. He was about to fall into a bed at the end of the room when he suddenly forgot to tell
Anum-La to prsent his case to the harbinger for his reinsertion into the guild. Hasir thought about this for a long while before finally
falling asleep.
