‘The fields look nice; bet the harvest is going to be great this year.’
It was close to sunset; the farmers tending to the field were already leaving, heading in the same direction as Septimus, towards the city gate.
Two of them were walking in front of him, one tall and one short; they were chatting.
“You hear what happened last night?” The short one asked.
“You mean the rumours?” The tall one replied.
“Yes, the rumours.
One of the guys told me he heard it personally from the soldier who reported it!”
“Was it Rarh?
You know he loves to exaggerate things.”
“No, no, it was his cousin, you know, the one married to the butcher’s daughter!” The short farmer did a suggestive eyebrow raise.
“Ahh, yes, I remember her, so, was the rumour real then?”
“Yeah, a soldier reported hearing howling coming from outside the wall”
The tall farmer shrugged.
“Isn’t that normal?
Couldn’t it be just some wolves, who cares?”
“No, it’s not!
He said he saw it!”
“Saw what?” Hearing the question, the short farmer waved the tall one closer.
Then said in a low voice.
“A werewolf.”
Septimus did a double take.
‘Oh, someone got caught, heh.’
“No way!
So close to town?
Was the jarl informed?”
“How would I know that?
Quiet down, you!
People are listening!” Septimus looked away.
The farmer continued.
“Anyway, I heard that they put a bounty up with the Companions; they sent their best to deal with it.”
‘Ha, you wish, more like to cover it up!’ Septimus couldn’t listen anymore; he felt too much like laughing.
He quickly passed the two men and reached the gate; it was wide open, and people were constantly going in and out.
The guards were alert, keeping watch from both inside, outside, and above the gate.
Finally stepping inside Whiterun for the first time, Septimus almost stopped to admire the view.
‘It looks just like the game, but much larger!’
The houses were built in the typical Nordic style, and the streets were partially paved with stone.
The people looked mostly Nordic, tall men and women with braids and fair hair.
‘At least I fit in with them.
First things first, let’s take a look around, figure out where the main buildings are located, then find somewhere to crash for the night.’
And that was what Septimus spent the next few hours doing: walking the streets, identifying the locations of interest by memory; it was like the Whiterun from the game, only kept the most important buildings and got rid of everything else.
Septimus found them all: the smithy by the gate, the rich district with nice manors where the great families of the city lived, the guardhouse and the great tree looking as dead as ever, planted close to the middle of the city, and the healing temple next to it.
All that was left was Jorrvaskr and the merchant district with the shops and the Bannered Mare.
He had caught a glimpse of a giant eagle when in the plaza, so that was where the Skyforge was.
‘I’ll check the companions out tomorrow; it’s already dark out, better head to the tavern and call it for the day’
The tavern was easy to find; he just followed the sound of drunk people.
Septimus squeezed his way in; it was packed for the night.
He struggled to pass through the wall of sweaty men.
At the counter, he waved to the woman and asked for a room.
The owner, busy pouring drinks, didn’t answer; she held her hand up showing 3 fingers.
Septimus paid the 30 septims, took the room key, and headed upstairs.
‘I guess I’ll wash up tomorrow; I don’t fancy strolling around naked with this many people around’
Once tucked in bed, he took a deep breath and sat back up.
====================
Interlude: Part 1: The Pursuer
‘My head’s killing me.
What in oblivion happened?
Last thing I remember was going to sleep in the camp.
Did I hit my head on the tent pole or something, and why is it so damn cold!’
Groggily rising from the ground, the man looked around what was left of his camp.
“Whut, what, huh?
What happened?
My head’s killing me, and where’s all my stuff!?” The man quickly stood up, panicked, and tripped over the tent.
The tent wrapped around him.
“Ahhhhh, what trickery is this?
Let go of me!!”
After struggling for a while, he managed to escape.
The man stood up and stepped right into the extinguished fire pit.
“Damn my luck, what’s all this, and why am I naked?!”
“Someone robbed me!
Was it that bastard Oscar and his gang?
We had a damn deal!”
Shaking with anger, he checked his hiding spot, a pit dug under where his sleeping roll used to be.
“They even found this, the bastards.
Wait till I report them to the guards, see what happens then!”
Once he finished insulting the culprits up to their third ancestor, he calmed down and regained his bearings.
“What do I do now damn it?
All my good stuff is back in Hacktown; walking there with no boots will rot my legs right off!”
*Sight* “Guess I’ll go to the farm and borrow some clothes, but having them see me like this is a bit…hmmm, what’s that?”
The man spotted something shining in the morning sun.
Picking it up, he remarked.
“A silver pendant?
What’s this doing here?”
He stopped to stare at the pendant in his hand.
“I swear I’ve seen this somewhere before…
recently too…
where was it?”
His brows shot up.
“This thing belonged to that scrawny kid that I met at the farm yesterday!
What’s it doing here?”
“Wait, I got robbed, and something that didn’t belong to me is here, at the crime scene, which means it must belong to the culprit!”
Getting redder and redder by the second, the man began breathing heavily.
“That filthy beggar robbed me!
I was kind enough to talk to him, and this is how he repays me!?
He said he got attacked by bandits, but he’s the damn bandit!!
Just wait till I get my hands on you, kid, you’re dead, you’re so dead!?”
Returning to the farm, he borrowed clothes, asked around, and figured out the little shit went to Hacktown.
“I bet they caught him; the guards there are notoriously good at smelling out thieves!”
By the second day since ‘the incident ‘, he arrived at Hacktown.
Walking up to the gate, he addressed the guard.
“Hey, you!
Did you see a tall, blonde kid, real awkward looking, pass through here recently?”
The guard looked at the fuming man; he wore leather slippers and a worn nightgown.
“Please calm down, citizen. Find the original chapter at g.com.
What is the problem?”
“The problem?
The problem is I got robbed, and the culprit passed by here.
Now tell me if you saw him or not!”
The guard was taken aback.
“Yes, well, the day before, he came from the same direction as you did; he had a few bags and a bow, looked like an alright kid.”
“What do you mean ‘alright kid’!
The bow was mine, damn it, and so were the bags!
Where is he now?
Is he still in town?
Wait till I get my hands on him!”
“Uhh, I think he left; I haven’t seen him today.
He stayed the night at the inn; maybe try asking there.”
“I will!
Now get out of the way, I’m busy!”
The guard complied, opening the way.
The angry man passed by him, hearing the guard murmur something.
“He really looked like an alright kid tho…”
Stepping into the building, the innkeeper spotted him.
“Garis, you’re still alive!”
“Of course I’m alive, what made you think I’m dead?”
The innkeeper replied with a sniff.
“Well, a couple of days ago a kid walked in wearing your clothes and carrying your bow.
I thought you died and he took your stuff.”
Gariss’ face reddened.
“Yes, that’s him!
Where is he?
Where is the little shit!”
“Calm down, Garis, he’s not here anymore; he left this morning.”
“He left?
Where to?
I’m going after him; just need to grab my stuff!” Garis rose and turned to leave, but the innkeeper grabbed him by the arm.
“You’re not going anywhere, man.
I was so worried thinking you died!”
Garis felt touched.
“Well, thank you for worrying, but…”
“No, I realized something: if you died, you wouldn’t be able to pay your tab, so I’m not letting you leave till you repay everything!”
“What, the tab?!
This is not the time for this; the thief is escaping, I need to catch him!”
The innkeeper scoffed.
“Oh, get off it.
Look at your age, then look at his; kids probably at Chorrol by now, there’s no way you’re catching him, so pay up.”
“So he went to Chorrol!
I’m killing that bastard when I catch him, making me run all over looking for him!”
“Pay up first”
Garis struggled but couldn’t escape the grip of the larger man.
“Fine!
Fine, I’ll pay, let go, I’ve got a stash!”
And so, after paying, Garis took off towards Chorrol, searching for the culprit.
He only had one goal in mind.
“VENGEANCE!!!!”