Chapter 20 - Day 4: "Then Kill"
Yes, that was them, our very iconic Skyrim Guards. Well, there were four of them.
Dressed in padded armors with red cloth rounding it and tightened by leather belts, helmets made from wood and steel as well as speers and swords pointed at us.
"You caused damage to property and used weapons in a restricted area, What say you in your defense?" The guard in the lead shouted.
"We were chasing an assassin." I moved to the side while saying giving the guard a room to see the girl.
The guards eye behind his helmet widened when he saw the gear of the assassin, he could tell too, it was the Dark Brotherhood's gear.
"Impossible! hurry up and arrest her." The guard urged his comrades.
After garbing the girl, the guard looked at us "You must come too, causing the damage in the market and using a weapon can be overlooked, but the assassin matter is serious, so we will need your statements." He said.
"There is a corpse of another assassin in the 'Winking Skeever', I killed him in my room." I informed the guard.
The guard was taken aback and looked at me with amazement, "Damn! Taking down two assassins in the same night? What are you?"
"A dragonborn." I said.
The guard said "Huh?" with a stupid voice, Wulfur cut in and said, "He always says that joke, don't mind him."
The other guards laughed at their colleague and took us away to Castle Dour's dungeon.
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We sat in some empty room with a small window and few benches to sit or sleep on.
Our weapons were taken away but no one minded the journal on me.
I opened it and started reading.
That girl…. She is crazy.
She is talented, crazy and dark.
When we trapped her in the alley she was writing in the note with her blood.
I can't tell if she had a poetic fetish or something but the part which was written by blood was about me.
"A boy did sleep and a boy did sneak, And death was waiting which to seek.
As one was waiting wide awake, and one was dying with no shriek.
As seen she ran she could no beak, At death was calling gloom and bleak.
As mother disowned me lone, To crush my flesh and bone.
He'll come he'll strike me, he'll bash or slice me.
He'll come and kill me soon, so so soon."
And I thought I was a dark child!
Let's keep that not for now.
I read few parts but she was very careful not to add information in her journal.
All I could tell that the one who asked for my death was a wimp in her opinion.
I don't know any wimps neither do I waste time on such people.
Who would hate me this much?
Not the college kids or Maven Black-Briar, probably!
I guess the guards will have to find out.
Now while we were at it, I instructed Wulfur on more magic training, this guy has a good compatibility with fire magic, much better than average and after I started convincing him to gain 'Fire Resistance' by training in magic and how will it make him resist the lashes of Skyforge, he agreed to it right away.
Battle-Born, on the other hand, was only interested in 'Restoration', not for the healing effects, but for the attacking effects.
Restoration had many nasty spells much nastier than Destruction and even Conjuration at some points. Spells that devastate the Undead and spells that weaken the opponent like 'Leech Seed' and 'Welling Blood'.
After few seconds of teaching those guy about the aspects of every school, the door of the room opened.
"Whoa whoa watch the magic!" A guard stood at the door and was in awe of the amount of magic he saw in the room.
A man in armor pushes the guard to the side then enters the room, the guard noticed and said "Sorry Captain."
"What's going on here?" The man looked at me and asked.
"Nothing, just training some healing magic." I answered.
"You are healers? seeing what you've done to the assassins I say I would never fight with a healer ever again!" The man said and laughed, "I am the commander of the guards here in Solitude. You can call me Captain Aldis." The man said while shaking hands.
So that was him! He is an NPC.
"I must apologize in the name city guards, our duty was not fulfilled by watching over the residents so the bounty for two assassins and a bounce shall be paid to you as soon as the king receives the news." Captain Aldis said.
"Oh! Thank you. No one really can blame the guards this time, the Brotherhood is scary after all, haha!" I said trying to be friendly.
Captain Aldis's eyes were wide open, he held me from the shoulders and looked serious "You could tell that was the Dark Brotherhood?"
Eh? What is strange about that?
"Mara's mercy! The Dark Brotherhood!" Battle-Born was shocked.
"Well, the gear kind of gave their identities off, is it hard to not recognize the Dark Brotherhood?" I asked while feeling something was not right.
"No common folk can just recognize the Dark Brotherhood when they see one." Captain Aldis said.
"Well, I came from Riften, I can recognize Assassins and Thieves from their gear though." I said that as an excuse.
"Hmmm. Riften really is not a safe place. I remember the stories that the guards who accompanied the King said when they went there." Captain Aldis understood, I'm safe.
"But to get targeted by them, aren't you worried?" He asked.
"Rather than worried, I want to know which bastard wanted me dead, as long as the payer can't pay, the Dark Brotherhood won't come after me." I said. "Did you get anything out from the assassin?" I asked.
"She didn't speak but we found out something. The girl and the boy you killed are known as Birrisa and Valaro, these two are from team 'Blood Hand'. Their staying location was raided a while ago but the place was clean, we are trying to get something out of the girl but tutoring her may kill her in that state you left her in." Captain Aldis said.
"So, Can I see her? I will heal her so that you interrogate her." I said.
"Sorry, this is an official business from now on." Captain Aldis said, "But I can inform you once we know who wanted you dead."
"May I ask for another favor?" I said.
"Let's hear it." The man said.
"Can the city guard take credit for the killed assassin?" I asked the man.
"What? Why would we do such a thing? You will get rewarded for that you know." Captain Aldis said.
"I'd like to be rewarded and all but I don't want to be targeted for vengeance by the Dark Brotherhood. They rarely fail and I don't think they as fanatics to an unholy creed will make someone like me get away." I gave my reasons, even though they were not just that.
"Hmmm, fine. If it's for your safety then will do it like that. I will also increase the guards around the inn." Captain Aldis said, what a nice guy!
I thanked him and went away with the boys.
After we got back to the inn there were some guards who came to investigate and everyone in the inn was awakened, Svidi was worried but we assured her.
The news spread in the city like a wildfire the next day, a rising star gets targeted by assassins and the assassins got killed and captured by the guards, someone will be very furious today.
I went to the 'Shooting Range' outside the city near the stables and found some seats.
There were not that many as people as in the arena but it was still crowded.
I find the place where I can register and see the rules.
The shooting methods were open, one can use anything as long as it reaches the target.
Wulfur will throw axes and javelins, Battle-Born will use a bow and I will use Magic.
Each round has three stages, the first will be shooting the red targets between the blue targets, the second will be shooting the red targets floating in the river, the last will be shooting the flying targets.
That was pretty much it.
It was boring and I finished it in no time.
My time was around a minute and a half faster than most archers or throwers as I used 'Lightning Bolt' spell.
After the contest, I went back to the city alone but I met someone unusual on the way.
It was Gulum-Ei the Argonian fence of the Thieves Guild in Solitude.
"It has been a while, Jon Dare." Gulum-Ei said.
"It has, what can I help you with?" I asked. I actually knew he would come but that was too soon.
"I heard you were attacked based on some misunderstanding yesterday, a friend of mine wants to have a word with you." He said.
A friend? Is it the assassins.
The Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood had a good relationship and understanding as the biggest two underground organizations but that was another story.
"What does that friend of yours want?" I asked.
"To talk, nothing more." Gulum-Ei said.
"Fine, let's see what the have to say." I said and went with Gulum-Ei.
The docks of Solitude were large and had many ships, unlike the game the ships were coming and going and the place was bustling with life.
We reached the office of the East Empire Company deep in the docks area.
Gulum-Ei entered and I followed him, I could see an Altmer and an Argonian waiting there.
"This is Micalo on of ours." Gulum-Ei introduced me to the Altmer.
"Yes, we've already met." I said and offer a shake to Micalo.
[A/N: Micalo is the barber from chapter 17]
"I never thought it would be you." Micalo said while shaking my hand.
Gulum-Ei interrupted and introduced the other person, "This is Geem-Zaw, he is from our business partner's side."
Geem-Zaw appeared to be an Argonian with two horns back on his head and his scales were green, He was wearing normal clothes but I felt he is strong, I can't tell Argonians apart actually but that maybe is Veezara from the Dark Brotherhood.
"Nice to meet you, I am Jon." I introduced myself.
"We heard about you but we never thought you are one of our friends' people, I must apologize for the matter of yesterday." Geem-Zaw said.
"I came okay from it, can't say the same about your people." I said being no polite at all.
"It's a shame, truly sorry about it." Geem-Zaw said, "But I need to ask you what exactly happened that night?"
I thought you would never ask, but I am not that fool to tell you the truth. I sighed while looking down acting tired but I was rechecking my cover-up story.
I looked to Geem-Zaw and said "I was sleeping soundly that night, suddenly my window was opened, normally anyone wouldn't feel it so fast but I am not used to the cold of Solitude. As I started to feel aware I could see a shadow for someone with a dagger on top of me, all I could do was to kick at it and then I fired a Lightning spell, It was not hard for the other people to hear the Lightning and all the inn woke up. Your people ran and we gave a chase. Finally, the guards cornered them and one was killed while the other was taken, you know the rest."
Geem-Zaw was scratching his chin while thinking, "So it was like that. We can do nothing about it. But I am sorry to be blunt." Geem-Zaw said "I need your help."
I was astonished, he tried to kill me and now wants my help, that's so thick skinned, or 'thick scaled' taking his race into consideration.
"I want you to find out how many information the guards took out from the girl, destroy any evidence and deal with the girl." Geem-Zaw said.
Wow. That's nuts, I looked to Gulum-Ei but he ignored me, I looked to Micalo and he nodded to me.
"So, what kind of evidence should I destroy?" I asked.
"Anything that is related to us." Geem-Zaw said, "There is a notebook that the girl used to carry I also want that destroyed."
"And how do you want me to deal with the girl?" I asked.
"If she didn't speak then please try to get her out." Geem-Zaw said.
"And what if she spoke?" I asked.
"Then kill."