I vaulted over the wall landing and tucking into a forward roll landing behind a stone building with no windows. Whiterun had slowly expanded since the year I was born, 4e 219, the walls had extended and many more shops, houses and guard buildings had been built to accommodate the vast population that was sure to come with the expansion. Among the buildings were large villa’s that housed the nobles that settled in whiterun. My plan was simple sneak into the house of the dark elf thane, Vivec slenski, take out the guards and anyone of importance in the house, find out the information then slit his throat. I quickly stripped off my gear and put on innocent town clothes, I came out from behind the house and joined the throng of people going to and from places around the city. I walked down a set of stairs turned left and walked for about another five hundred metres before I came to stop before a massive green blossoming tree. This tree belongs to the temple off kynareth and was repaired by the dragonborn. I made an involuntary yelp, causing people in the street to stare at me as the continued walking but I paid them no heed my yelp was caused by my confusion of how I knew that fact. I couldn’t remember it from any of my lessons when I was a child, but I shook the thought off I had probably just heard the fact before and forgot about it to now. Straight ahead were the halls of jorravaskr, to the left was dragonsreach the residence where the jarl resided and to my right was more steps. I took the right knowing exactly where I was going.
It was only a few minutes later before I came upon the building I was looking for. The Bannered Mare, as whiterun’s original tavern the expansion had done it well, it now stood at 7 storeys tall and rivalled the magnificence and grandeur of dragonsreach. The doors to the entrance were iron covered in gold writing. I walked up to the doors and pushed them open, to find them surprisingly light.
The inside of the inn was a warm orange glow coming from the massive fire pit in the middle, over which hung a cooking spit with a boar gradually turning over the fire while it was slavered in honey. I sniffed the air and smelt the wonderful smell that came from the cooking boar. I pulled a mask up covering the bottom half of my face so I would not be recognized then walked up to the bar, a long table with 20 seats at regular intervals. Standing near the middle was a young woman about my age (18) serving out mead and other drinks. I took a seat at one of the surprisingly comfortable stools, before the bartender approached me I studied her more closely. Jet black hair tied up into a neat bundle behind her head, close set blue eyes, tall and a distinctive scar, a jagged line coming from her right ear and reaching to the tip of her smiling mouth.
She approached me walking with an angelic grace rarely seen among any race these days. “Hello what would you be after?” She asked with a slight speech impediment that was obviously caused by the cut on her cheek “I’d like to rent a room on your top floor please,”
“How many nights would that be for?” She asked flicking her hair back and smiling at me. I tried to remember how many nights I would need to be here. One night to case out the place, one day and night to make some equipment , one night to kill and an extra night so I don’t look suspicious. I realised she was looking at me expecting an answer. “Four nights please,”
“Would you like anything else?” She inquired
“One sweetroll and one bottle of black-briar reserve please?” I asked sliding a handful of septims across the table “Coming right up.” She said as walking away
Over the course of the next few hours we got to talking something to pass the time between us. I asked her many questions and she asked questions herself in return the sun had set roughly an hour ago “what’s the time?”
“About 8:30 pm” she responded
“I have to go to bed now, can I have something that tells the maids and anyone else not to disturb me please?”
“ Here you go she said handing me a blue and gold ribbon, just tie one end around the door handle and everyone will know not to disturb,” As she handed the ribbon over I noticed a sad look momentarily creep onto her face. “What’s wrong?” I asked as kindly as possible
“Nothing just I liked talking to you and I have another 3 hours left on my shift,”
“Cheer up theirs always tomorrow,” then doing something completely compulsive I leant across the bar took her head in my hands and gave her a long passionate kiss. Attracting a few pairs of eyes (mostly men) to us. Then I let go off the kiss and walked off to my room.
I got up to my room Tied the sash around my handle closed my door and locked it. I quickly got changed out of my clothes and put on dark red leather pants, top and gloves. I then pulled out my hood and covered my head, finally to finish it all off I pulled up my mask so only my eyes and nose could be seen.
I threw open my window and enjoyed the cool breeze for a moment then I climbed out. I looked down to the ground, a seven story drop would be too high for me to land without injuring myself. I scanned the area and spotted a shop roof about 3 storey’s down and only 2 metres to jump across. I prepared myself and leaped. I landed on the roof with a slight thump. I ran across the roof and jumped, I fell down about 2 storeys then a wall approached, I placed one foot against the wall while still falling and pushed forward. Going into a front flip I landed on a grass tuft rolling. I was about 200 metres away from the target’s house I silently stuck close to the wall and crept around to an old abandoned guard tower. I went up to the iron door and pushed and pushed and pushed, but it wouldn’t budge. I unsheathed a dagger and slid it around the door cracks, clearing away countless year’s worth of grime, dirt and mud. I threw all my weight at the door and ever slow slowly it started to budge.
It took a good 5 minutes of strenuous pushing but the door finally opened. I snuck inside and pushed the door closed (which was much easier than opening it.) I looked around and found a broken piece of wood and jammed it under the door. I climbed the steps each one protesting and groaning as I put my weight on it, but finally I made it to the top without a single stair breaking. I took up position and watched my target’s house.
Every few hours I moved position so I could see all angles of the house and all angles of the patrol.
I watched for hours and hours on end until the sun started rising then I snuck back to my room in the bannered mare.
It was about 6:30 am when I got back, I immediately stripped and jumped into bed immediately falling asleep.
I awoke rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I clambered out of bed and put on my clothes. Tavern clothes, fine boots, gloves and a cowl over my head. I walked out of my room and glided down the stairs to the bar. “Morning Rose,” that was her name Rose. She was standing over the bar wiping it down her long black hair fell gracefully down her back and she was wearing some quite revealing tavern clothes. Her face split into a smile “Morning Samantha,” that was the name I was using couldn’t let people know my real name. “Where you going today?” today she asked tilting her head. “Just to do some shopping,”
“See you later then.”
I moved up to the blacksmiths. Out front was a young redguard woman no older than 16. “Hi,” I said putting on my best smile “Hello is there anything you need?”
“Yes I’m wondering where I could buy some smithing supplies?”
“You want to talk to my mum or dad inside,” she said jerking her head towards the building beside us “thank you.”
I walked inside, the cool building. Armour, weapons, arrows and smithing supplies from ingots to leather adorned the walls, tables and shelves.
Behind the counter there were two people an old nord who looked about 50 years old whose hair was greying, and a 40 year old redguard standing beside her husband, “welcome to warmaidens,” they spoke in unison as I entered, cute. “I was wondering if I could buy some smithing supplies?” The man let out a long barking laugh “Look around of course you can buy some smithing supplies, what would you like?” I told him what I wanted, “ok we should have them in the back room and that will be 758 septims,” He started to move away when all of a sudden the door was kicked open and in walked a man with a dagger held up to the throat of the girl I was talking to before.
He was short, with dark red hair, ocean blue eyes and covered in black clothes. “No sudden move or I slit her throat,” He threw a sack to the couple fill it with all your money and those to daggers there he said pointing to a pair of ebony daggers, Slowly they started filling up the sack when they were done they tied it up with some rope, then threw it back.
“Now,” he said looking at me “I want you to fork over all your septims otherwise I’m gonna kill this pretty little face and then take you alive as my prize,” the way he said prize was disgusting and it was obvious even if I did give him my money he was going to take me anyway.
“Ok just let get it,” I said trying my best to put on my scared little girl act. I reached behind me pretending to get my money bag but I was actually reaching for one of my throwing knives. Then I felt it the touch of the worn leather bound handle. I started moving like I was pulling my money bag out then halfway through I quickly flicked the blade through the air. The knife tossed over hilt over blade, the blade sheared straight through the wrist holding the dagger. He dropped it with a scream. My feet carried me forward and a few seconds later my fist connected with his face followed by my knee to his groin. He dropped.
I quickly tied his hands together and passed a rope the ulfberth. “When I reach the top toss me the rope,” I said climbing up to the rafters at the top of the building. “Pass it up now.” Ulfberth quickly swung the rope over his head and threw it up to me. I caught it and pulled the tied up bandit up, I then tied the rope to the rafters and jumped back down. I looked up at the bandit supported above the ground by about 3 metres.
It took 10 minutes before the guards arrived and they asked us to recount what happened. When they were done they asked how we could get him down, “well I have an idea if you don’t mind him being a bit damaged,”
“Go.”
I pulled out my last throwing knife and threw it at the rope that held his hands, it hit the rope and split it, he fell down three metre and face planted with an ugly crunch. I turned him over, “ooh I don’t think it’s natural for your nose to be pointed that way.
By saving their daughter and money, they gave me all my smithing supplies for free. Turns out I saved about 2000 septims.
Back in my room at the bannered mare I strapped a Dwarven dagger to my left hip, an elven dagger to my right hip, Two elven daggers on my left shoulder, two Dwarven daggers on my right shoulder, Three throwing knives on my back, an iron dagger on my right calf and my hunting knife on my left leg. I walked over to my quiver on the windowsill and slung it over my shoulder. Finally I walked over to my bow, it was a simple hunting bow, but the actual bow was adorned with ice white runes that exuded pure cold, this bow was smithed by her mum and enchanted by her father before he left, then on her twelfth birthday it was given to her. By then her father had been long gone but she kept training with her bow and now here it was in her hands. “Time to go hunting she said and jumped out her window.
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