It was still the morning, the sun has barely dyed the sky with its light and those who had early jobs were barely just waking up. I, however, was going around the streets in the morning to check on things.
I may not sound like a caring ruler as I mostly leave the secondary matters to the management department in the company but I somehow care about the town in my own way. For example; this morning I found a damaged part of the road that no one seemed to be going to fix, I had to highlight that place for the employees that are responsible for fixing the roads. Also, a house was badly damaged due to a storm and the residences were too poor to handle the repairs, here where I had to come in.
Don't get me wrong, this is not me showing off my charitable heart, this is basically a part of my job description as the holder of the title of a Thane, and I take my job very seriously.
With my morning patrol / warm-up complete, I took my way to wake up the sleepy heads.
Wulfur's house was on the opposite side of mine and it was smaller as Wulfur himself didn't the hard to clean places even though I offered him to have some servants but Wulf values privacy.
In front of his door, I knocked on with a style.
*Knock KnoKnock Knock Knock*
Strangely, he wasn't awake yet. A few seconds later, I heard some movements from inside.
Normally, Wulfer's place is like my place so I opened the door anyway.
"Hey, Wulf, I am coming in."
Just as my head went in, a strangely familiar looking fist was thrown to my direction. Too late to avoid it anyway.
"Hey, you didn't have to punish him!" A voice spoke, a feminine one.
"Eh? Sorry, I was nervous." That dumb voice is Wulfur.
That punch… I'd recognize it anywhere, it's Wulf's punch.
Still, why does it hurt like this?
I opened my eyes and understood the situation immediately.
Sigh… kids!
***
In front of me, Wulfur and Bjorna were hanging their heads down.
"So, you guys slept together?"
They both nodded.
It seemed that Bjorna spent the night at Wulfer's place.
"Okay, I understand you guys are shy about it, I also understand that you don't want anyone to know."
They both nodded.
"Fine! Still, what I don't understand is why I got punched."
They both looked at each other and seemed a bit awkward.
"Sorry, man. You know, Wulf loves his privacy." Wulfur spoke in a third person style.
"I won't forgive you even if you speak like a Khajiit."
"Tsk! That didn't work."
I let out a sigh because of this guy's insolent behavior.
"Okay, Bjorna, can you go and wake Alina and Jull up?"
"Yes, right away." She said and went out running.
I watched her going out then looked at Wulfur and winked at him, he foolishly smiled like an idiot.
An opening!
*Swoosh!*
I kicked his guts when he didn't expect at all.
"Argh! Why?"
"Payback, bitch!"
The morning was a bit peaceful so I took the chance to fool around with Wulf for a bit, then went to the company and geared up together. Wulfur was trying a new Warhammer today and its weight was something to behold.
"What did you made that from?"
"Steel, steel and more steel."
"I... love it."
"Don't you feel like you need a new weapon, your saber and hammer are really getting outdated."
"Hmmm! Now that you mention it, I only have that powerful staff we acquired from Vaermina in Quagmire and my traveling armor that I acquired from Hircine… let me think if I know about some good artifact hiding here or there."
"Fine, just saying if you want anything custom forged."
"Nope, the forging is not my current problem, I need some good enchanted gear."
To tell the truth, I really need a serious upgrade to my gear. Savior's Hide and the Skull of Corruption are the best pieces of gear I have, the best sword I have is a Katana called Bolar's Oathblade and I'll be carrying it around from now on.
I stored my stuff in the Haven Ring and went to the meeting held on the fourth floor.
***
In the meeting room, Jull, Alina, Wulfur, Bjorna, Njord, Jonrad, Hilda, Brenda, Nefertiti, Nurina, Mjoll, Trudvar and Ongeim were all present.
"Okay, everyone, sit down."
As everyone sat down, Bjorna approached Wulfur and whisper something for him, he looked at me with eyes wide open then looked at Alina and Jull. I grinned at him confirming what he heard.
What is the big deal about it, I wonder? You are not the only one to gift your girlfriend a Mithril artifact so don't think that you are the only one who had some romantic night. The two of us weren't the only one who had a pink night too, some people were glowing this day more than yesterday so take a hint dammit.
Anyway...
"What is the big deal, boy?" Nurina asked.
I looked at Trudvar and he nodded to me, with that, he stood up and started the report. It was about the Thalmor spy and what we extracted from him, the location of the other Thalmor Spies, their contacts, their purpose, some other strategic information and some plans regarding how to deal with them.
"So, you want to send the Thalmor away?"
"Killing them off is better than leaving them around, this will send a message that we are not playing nice with them. If we let them be, they will become bolder and infest the area with their spies."
The discussion kept going in favor of my opinion
"Good, count me in." Jonrad agreed with me and put his golden katana on the table.
"So you are not giving any face to the Thalmor?" Ongeim asked.
"Fuck the Thalmor." I said.
"Hehe! I am in too?" Ongeim put his axe on the table.
"What about the Empire, their spies are still around. Acting so rashly will make them hold one against you." Njord asked.
"Fuck the Empire." I said.
"Haha, why am I loving this?" Njord put his spear on the table.
"So you don't think that moving this early would make them lump you with Ulfric?" Brenda asked.
"Fuck Ulfric." I said.
"... Cousin, you have my axe." Brenda said and put her axe on the table too.
Everyone stood up with their weapons drawn with a bloodthirsty air around us.
We moved that night leading a small force of two hundred Dare Dragon Mercenaries and our target was the coast near Ysgramor's Tomb.
The ones who didn't follow were Nurina because she was the one to watch over Winterhold when I am not around and Hilda because she didn't feel well this morning. Other than that, we traveled into two groups, the main group under the lead of Njord and Wulfer, and the stealthy unit under Jonrad and I.
"So, you made a pact with a saber cat?" I talked with Jonrad who was carrying a large snow saber cat that looked really fearsome.
"His name is Hans, a really friendly one." Jonrad said while patting Hans.
"What about Gulliver?" I asked about Jonrad's cat.
"Lazing around at home… cats aside, when did you acquire such a nice blade?" Jonrad pointed to the Katana I was carrying.
"Belonged to one of you Blades, Its owner left it over a Shrine of Talos and an oath on it, last I know he died to the Thalmor chasing him."
Jonrad looked sad for a while then talked again.
"... Do you know which brother that Oathblade belonged to?"
"I think his name was Acilius Bolar."
"... I see, so that's Bolar's Oathblade."
"It is, you know the man?"
"Mhm, met him once or twice in Cloud Ruler Temple, didn't know much about him but he was another good brother that we lost."
"I see, do you… want the blade?"
"Eh, no no, you keep it. A Blade's Katana with you is better than to be with some random adventurer, Bolar wouldn't be any happier seeing his blade being carried in a campaign to kill his enemies. It will bring him comfort."
Jonrad's voice was a bit nostalgic.
"So, you didn't tell me, if the Blades were to be reformed again one day, would you go and join them?" I asked a question that was on my mind for a while.
Jonrad paused for a bit then shook his head.
"If the Blades were ever formed again, I doubt it would be for the same true purpose it was originally formed for."
"You mean slaying dragons and guiding a Dragonborn?"
Jonrad nodded.
"You can say so."
"What if that true purpose came up once again?"
"Hehe, that's a good question boy. Well, I am an old man now, if a Dragon Break ever happened, it would be every man's duty to stand up and fend off against dragons, if a Dragonborn appeared, then every man's duty and honor is to aid him or her towards their path. It is not really a Blade's thing to fight dragons and aid the Dragonborn. But if the organization was formed once again with that purpose present, I don't think I have what it takes to go back. I am a father and husband now, you know."
I see!
His answer is logical… and good.
"Good answer, Old Man."
I didn't really want him to get along with the Blades when they come back to the world again… it wouldn't make me feel comfortable.
Jonrad was looking at me and trying to figure out the reason for my question. I had to divert the topic.
"This Golden Katana you carry around, what is its origin?"
"Oh! Good eyes, you are curious about it?"
"Well, it looks cool."
"Sure it does, have you ever heard of Goldbrand?"
With these words, my head went completely blank, when I confirmed what I heard, I looked at Jonrad again.
"FUCK! DID YOU JUST SAY GOLDBRAND?"
What is Goldbrand? Goldbrand is an ancient artifact, which takes the form of a golden katana. It was created by the dragons of the North. According to the legends of thieves, it was given to a great knight who was sworn to protect the dragons. It contains the power of the Daedric Prince Boethiah, and burns those that it strikes. One more legend about that sword was that it was wielded it in the Battle of the Red Ring by Emperor Titus Mede II.
All in all, it is a top quality Daedric artifact.
"Calm down, calm down! This is not Goldbrand!"
"Oh, you startled me, old man! Don't do that again, I have a weak heart. Then what is that?"
"This is a replica of Goldbrand that a friend gifted me."
"A replica?"
"Well, not as good as the original but it doesn't lose to your Medium or Low quality Daedric Artifact."
"Damn! I want a replica too."
"Well, the current owner of the real Goldbrand is my friend Glemet. Remember him?"
"Glemet? The one we met in Dawnstar with you and Tyr?"
That was even before I become the Thane of Winterhold, it was when Jonrad called himself Old Jon and taught me the Battle-Spirit or the Aura.
"That's him."
Damn! Just who is that man?