Back at the smithy, I paid for a lesson from Ghorza graBagol and then bought materials from her to do some of my own work. I’m thinking of trying to do some dwarvish designs--Inspired by the City of Stone, I guess. But mostly, like I told Uncle Andre, I just wanted to think, and giving my hands something to do helps me with that.
Ma and Da were alive, and I could find them in Riften. In a skipped heartbeat, Uncle Andre had lifted a great weight off my shoulders. Eventually, I would go see them, but I could also think about the other responsibilities that have fallen on my shoulders in the past two weeks. Most immediately, I had to find out if Swims is down in the Mine, and if I can, I need to bust him out. I supposed I needed to do something about the dragons, and then there was the civil war, which had just become far more confusing.
Ulfric Stormcloak is a hero to the Nord people. He’s struggling to free us from our oppressors. But at the same time, to the Forsworn, he is the oppressor. How can someone be a hero and a villain at the same time? I don’t know if I want to be part of his following anymore. But I know I still hate the Empire, and I hate their frienemies, the Thalmor, even more. Is the enemy of my enemies my friend? Is that wisdom or foolishness?
Then there was the shock of seeing the Warrens again. I grew up there. It was the place I learned what it felt like to be loved and cared for. It’s the place I made all my childhood friends, enemies, allies and rivals. It’s the place I learned all my values, skills and prejudices. To me, the Warrens were normal, the Silverblood District was rich, and the Imperial Market was exotic and forbidden. Now that I come back, the Warrens, bereft of all my family and friends, are just a pit of desperation, and the Silverblood District stinks of conspiracy and greed. I really don’t like this place anymore. Maybe Markarth was cursed by the dwarves or something, and everyone who lives here is doomed. Anyway, I want to get out as soon as I find out about Swims-in-Shadows.
“What the hell do you want, outsider?” demanded Thonar Silverblood, when I forced my way past his money-changer and his wife. He tried to rise, but I pushed him back down into his chair.
“Mind your attitude,” I told him. “I’m in a rush, I’ve no patience for trying to make friends with you. I want straight answers, and I’m perfectly willing to beat you to a pulp if you don’t cooperate.”
He looked livid, but I could see that he already knew who I was, and that I had already beaten or killed every thug he’d sent after me, so he didn’t argue. I could see him plotting revenge, however.
“The Forsworn are behind the murders you’ve been sticking your nose…” he began, but I interrupted.
“We’ll get to that. First, I want to know about a couple of argonians. The first one is supposed to be an Imperial Magistrate, and he showed up here just short of four months ago.”
I started with the assassin, because I figured he’d be more likely to remember him than he would any particular prisoner, and also I wasn’t keen on him knowing my true priorities. Anyway, I needed the information. I’d taken him completely by surprise. I watched him struggle with the reins of his thoughts. “The argonian? He… What do you mean, supposed to be? Are you saying that meddlingbastard was a fake?”
“I’m asking the questions,” I told him. “I want to know everything you know about him. What was your interaction with him?”
“He came in here and stirred up the Imperials with a story about a conspiracy against the Emperor in the damned Warrens, of all places. I figured he was crazy, but I could take advantage, clear out the Warrens and get some more labor out of the deal. He wouldn’t have any of it. Wanted every single head to roll. Rode us the whole way until one day last month, he just disappeared as suddenly as he’d appeared. I knew he was fake! What was he, a Black Marsh agent? Everybody wants a piece of the Silverbloods! The entire continent!”
“Of course they do,” I encouraged him. “Did you ever manage to get any labor out of the mess?”
He snorted. “Hardly! Out of forty arrests, after the riot and the breakouts, I managed to shuffle only one wretch down there. At least it was another argonian. That made me feel a little better.”
With every word he spoke, I hated this guy more, but now how to get him to do what I wanted. In a moment of what I thought was brilliance, I said, “I need that prisoner released into my custody. Ulfric will want to question him.”
“Ulfric?” he said in shock, and then took a closer look at my Stormcloak armor. “But he...” Rage blossomed on his face, and he stood up and shoved me. “You don’t work for Ulfric! Get out of my house!”
At that moment came a shout from the other room, “For the Forsworn!” and then the sounds of a struggle. He shouldered past me and out the door. I followed, not sure what was happening. The meek servants that had been cleaning the front room were now throwing flames at Thonar’s wife. I drew my axe and dove into the fight along with Thonar, but it was too late to save the woman.
Thonar fell to his knees over the ashes of his wife. I watched in silent sympathy. Even a greedy bastard has a right to mourn his wife. He didn’t cry, he just took some time. Eventually, he stood up and spoke, not meeting my eyes. “Madanach did this-- the King in Rags.” In an emotionless monotone, he explained to me how he had held Madanach in the Mine for twenty years, manipulating him and his followers to eliminate his enemies, until now, when Madanach finally seemed to have turned on him. Then he looked me in the eyes and he said, “You’re not here for Ulfric. I don’t know who you really work for, but if you kill Madanach for me, I will let anyone you want free. Now get out of my home.” And he walked back to his quarters and locked the door behind him.
Not sure how he expected me to get to Madanach, I picked up Lydia outside the Treasure House and headed to the shrine of Talos to update Eltrys on what I’d learned. When I got there, it became clear. An entire squad of city guards were there to arrest me. I turned to Lydia. “This whole thing may well be a trap. If I’m not out in seven days, do what you can to spring me.” And I started passing her my valuables.
She replied, “I’ll give you three days, my thane. Then if I have to, I’ll slaughter everyone within a league to get you out of there.”
Then I turned myself in.
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