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pyrettawychwiggin · 3 months ago

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Songstress of Skyrim - Chapter 2: Among Bards & Madmen

Disclaimer: The following story is centered around my own character, Mhari Freysri, who is the only character in this piece that I own. All other characters and elements of the world within the Elder Scrolls series is the intellectual property of Bethesda. This story contains, not just massive spoilers, but is in and of itself one very long spoiler, as it is based off of my playthrough of Skyrim: Special Edition. You have been advised. Please enjoy this newest installment of my cringy fanfiction.

Mhari stepped into the light of the main seating area as the inn's patrons chattered and drank among themselves. Very few took notice aside from the whistling Nord and the table of guards. I wonder if my voice will carry over the din... She shifted a nervous glance back to Corpulus and Lisette; the innkeeper gave her a nod of reassurance, and Lisette mouthed the words 'go on.'

Mhari closed her eyes for moment, shifting the drum in her arms so that it was nestled comfortably on the shelf of her hip; running her hands across the hide, she breathed in, focusing on the calm within, feeling her pulse slow through her fingertips. She started to play the drum, alternating strikes between the outer edge of her thumb and the heel of her palm; a slow, but steady beat sounding throughout the inn.

Slowly, conversations ceased, and heads began to turn as she began to sing the song of a cursed female troll who had fallen in love with a human man; the tale was not in her mother tongue, but she had taken great care in her pronunciation. At brief moments where she remembered the eyes on her, her voice would waver, but she would find her center again by allowing the spirit of the story overtake her thoughts. She imagined the sorrow and loneliness of the troll as the human rejected her love, dooming her to suffer her affliction in solitude for the rest of her days. Her heart ached dully in her chest as she sang the final note, allowing the last beats of the drum to fade to a slowing heartbeat, then to silence at last.

After a moment's silence, Mhari was met with modest applause and a couple scattered cheers; she gave a small bow before returning to her seat at the bar and placing the drum on the counter before her legs practically gave way with residual adrenaline. Though her emotions were that of pride and excitement, the tension of her first performance took precedence. Corpulus gave Mhari a hearty slap on the back as Lisette clapped proudly.

"You were great out there!" Lisette gushed, eyes beaming. "What else do you play?"

"A little bit of everything," Mhari replied, drinking the last of the alto wine in one long gulp. "Drums, lute, flute. My voice is my longest-standing instrument."

"Self-taught?" Lisette asked, eyebrows raised.

"Somewhat," Mhari replied dipping her head from side-to-side in uncertainty. "My father, my sisters, and I - we used to sing folk songs when we would work or travel. Everything I learned, I learned from them. Father says I have the voice of my mother, but it always takes me a little more time to learn an instrument. My sisters were always more talented on the strings."

"Well, friend," Corpulus began, holding his chin between his fingers as he thought. "Should you ever need a room for the night, you can perform here any time! If my patrons are happy enough to tip more handsomely, I'll give you a small cut of the profits!"

"You really don't mind?" Mhari asked excitedly; the prospect of a regular audience to practice for was a valuable gift for an aspiring bard, and she couldn't ask for a better set-up. "I could use the gold, but I don't want to put you out."

"Nonsense," Corpulus replied, patting Mhari jokingly on the head. "You'd be doing me a favour! What with the war going on these days, drinks and song are some of the only things taking people's minds off of things."

"And a word of advice," Lisette began, putting an arm around Mhari, rubbing her thumb and index finger together with a smirk. "Never turn down an opportunity to have your voice heard. The more well-known you become, the more coin you'll make."

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" a new voice interrupted. A Nord man with braided silver hair and red war-paint over his eyes, clad in a forest green belted tunic and brown hide breeches placed his hands on Lisette's shoulders from behind; her shoulders tensed and a bright red flush spread across her cheeks.

"Little bird, this is Jorn; another bard from the college," Lisette introduced the man with an eye-roll as she attempted to hide her giddy anxiety. "Jorn, this is..." Lisette trailed off, only just realizing she had not yet been told her new friend's name.

"Mhari," Mhari chuckled in amusement. "Mhari Freysri."

"There you have it, then," Corpulus announced, plopping three more bottles of wine onto the counter. "Drink up, bards. Tonight, we celebrate Mhari Freysri's first performance!"

The three bards laughed gaily and each took a bottle in their hands, clicking the glass together before taking a long drink of the pungent liquid; Mhari could feel her worries fading even farther into her subconscious.

Corpulus took a moment to show Mhari where her room would be before he left intermittently to tend to his patrons.

Lisette, Jorn and Mhari drank together at the table on the second level of the inn right beside Mhari's room, overlooking the shenanigans of the main level from above as the inn became even busier with the later hours. As they drank and supped on meat and cheese, Mhari could see how close Jorn and Lisette were, assuming they were a couple. Not thinking, Mhari blurted out what was on her mind. "You two are so sweet together."

Lisette nearly choked on her wine as Jorn chortled with his arm around her, patting her on the shoulder as she found her breath again, her cheeks growing even redder than they had been before.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Mhari sputtered.

"Lisette is a fine lass, but when I join the Legion," Jorn started, mischievously tipping Lisette's chin up to look at him, leaning forward until they were nearly nose-to-nose. Mhari blushed just watching the bards. Lisette gulped, catching her breath in her throat in anticipation. "Well, I could never expect her to wait for my return."

"That is if I don't join the Legion first!" Lisette barked in both amusement and irritation, playfully jamming a sweet roll into his mouth. "Besides, who'd make sure you didn't get your arse handed to you on the battlefield if not me?"

Mhari laughed at the interaction between the two, taking one last long gulp of wine before placing a few spare coins on the table for Corpulus, and rising from her seat. "Well, I think I should turn in for the night. I'm beat," she yawned.

"Sleep well, little bird! I look forward to seeing you at the college," Lisette sang merrily, her words slurring ever so slightly. Jorn sat by her with his arm draped sleepily around her shoulder, waving goofily at Mhari with the other. Mhari giggled and stood up from her seat, swaying slightly as she struggled to find her balance. I may have overdone it with the wine tonight. I'm glad we chose to sit close to my room; I don't know if I'd make it up a full flight of stairs.

Mhari entered her room and gently closed the door behind her. The room was fairly sizeable, with a comfortable bed big enough for two, a large wooden dresser, a bookshelf, a small lounging area, and a writing desk by the glow of a warm light. Small windows were placed in each corner of the room where no light could be seen, hinting at lateness of the hour. Mhari stretched lazily, eyeing the thick green blanket of the bed. I know I wanted to write home before bed tonight, but I should wait until morning. My head is... spinning.

Mhari hadn't even changed her clothing before she fell into the bed, wriggling under the blanket. She was greeted by a dreamless sleep; one that she so desperately needed after her journey across the water. She could almost feel the rocking of waves as she drifted into her drunken slumber.

The sound of a chair skidding across the wooden floor of the tables beyond Mhari's door brought her back to consciousness. As she attempted to open her eyes, she found them seemingly stuck shut. She quickly remembered that she had neither changed nor removed her coal-based eye paint before sleeping. She silently reprimanded herself as she rubbed her eyes with her palms, managing to finally open them slightly. I'll need to wash up before I can open them further. What the hell was I thinking? As Mhari sat up in her bed, she hissed in pain as a dull ache reverberated throughout her head. "My head..." she groaned, placing her fingers on her temples. "I wonder if a quick healing spell will do the trick..." She looked into her palms and summoned her small reserve of magical strength, a faint golden glow emerging from her fingertips. She placed them on her temples, feeling the magic surge through her head; she brushed her hands over her head through her hair, spreading the magic across her scalp. Her skin tingled beneath her auburn locks. She knew the spell would take several minutes to take effect; she just hoped the casting was powerful enough. The spell may have been simple, but she herself was a beginner spell-caster at best.

Mhari lurched herself up to her feet and shuffled to the washbasin by the dresser, splashing water onto her face and using a linen cloth to wipe away the makeup from the previous night. She found that she already felt better with a fresh face; her pounding head had faded to a dull ache, to her relief. She dressed herself in her usual apron dress before making her way to the writing desk, drinking deep from a much-needed jug of water. She pulled out a piece of parchment from her bag and dipped her quill in the nearby inkwell.

Dearest Father, Idun & Nanna,

I hope this letter finds you well. I've arrived safely in Solitude at long last. It's bigger than I could have possibly imagined. The town square is only slightly smaller than our entire farm! It's as though I've stepped into an entirely new world; even in the midst of what should be a warmer season, the air is bitterly cold. I wonder if I will adapt to this... perhaps I should just bundle up.

I had my first performance last night at The Winking Skeever; the inn in Solitude! I was so nervous I could barely stand it, but I think I did well. I sang 'Herr Mennelig.' I thought it would be fitting, seeing as it's the first song I can remember learning. I think my drumming could use some work, but the innkeeper was happy with my song. I even received praise from two bards from the college! The next time I visit, I could use some pointers from you, Idun and Nanna; I don't think my lute-playing will impress, yet.

I'm hoping to save up enough gold to buy a horse; everything is much more expensive here. 1000 gold for a horse! Can you believe that? And that's not including the equipment.

Tensions are high in Skyrim... we'd all heard that there was a political struggle here from back home, but it seems to be on the brink of an all-out war. Don't worry, though; I'll come home if I feel that things are getting too dangerous. I don't need to get myself involved with that. I'm just here to learn.

Anyway, I suppose I should get to it. Today is the day I apply at the Bard's College! Wish me luck.

I love you all.

Signed,

Little Mhari

Mhari took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief, her hangover having passed. She folded her letter neatly, sealing it with a piece of beeswax from her writing kit. She tucked her belongings into her pack and rose to her feet. She stretched her arms up to the ceiling with a strained groan. Okay. First order of business; breakfast.

Mhari made her way down the stairs and found Corpulus lounging at a table in the now-empty inn. "Good morning, Corpulus," she greeted. Corpulus held up his mug of milk with a smile.

"Good morning, miss Mhari!" he chortled. "I hope you got some decent sleep; yesterday was a big night for you!"

"I did, thank you; though I don't envy the hangover Lisette and Jorn ought to have. They drank as much as me last night, if not more," she joked. She pulled out her letter. "Does a courier run through here from time-to-time? I need to send off a letter to my family."

"Give it here," Corpulus stated, holding out his hand. "The courier always makes a stop here at the inn. I'll hand it off to him."

"Thank you, Corpulus," Mhari took a seat in the chair across from him. On the small table was a bowl of fruit. Mhari placed some coins on the table and grabbed a red apple from the pile. "I'm off to the Bard's College after breakfast; where in the city can I find it? Solitude is so much bigger than any place I've ever been to."

"Ah, yes," Corpulus chuckled, sliding the coins into his pouch at his hip. "You're from High Rock, aren't you? Well, you'll head left when you leave the inn. Keep going past the marketplace and just follow the path past the Hall of the Dead. It'll be the big building on your left. You can't miss it."

"Sounds easy enough," Mhari sighed with relief, finishing her apple before standing upward once more. "Thank you again, my friend. I'll likely be back this evening. You're sure you don't mind that I just play for my room?"

"I'm a man of my word," Corpulus put a hand over his chest, smiling. "Like I said; you'll be doing me a favour as well. Say hello to Viarmo for me."

"Viarmo?" Mhari cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"He's the head of the Bard's College," Corpulus answered plainly. "He'll be the man you want to speak to when you get there."

Mhari pushed open the doors and stepped out into the fresh Solitude air. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the skies were clear, and the weather was much warmer than it had been the day before. I won't always be so fortunate with the weather. I should stop into a shop and pick up something warmer just to be safe... She noticed two shop signs across from the inn; one sign bore a golden scale with coins on either side, the other bore two spools of thread and a needle. She walked closer to the shop to read the lettering. "Hmm...Bits Pieces, and Radiant Raiment." Mhari muttered under her breath. "Looks awfully fancy..." she pulled out her coin-purse with a frown. Considering how expensive everything is, and how much I still need to buy, I don't think I'll be buying a horse any time soon.

"Ah, how did you enjoy your stay at the Winking Skeever?" a man's voice asked. Mhari hadn't noticed him as she was pouting at her coin-purse. She lifted her eyes to see a pale Imperial man with tousled jet black hair and a thick black beard. He wore a brown leather tunic with a well-made light green linen shirt beneath. A small tuft of black hair peeked out from the sliver at his chest. "Not only is it the best inn in Solitude; it's the only inn in Solitude."

"I take it you work here?" Mhari asked, tucking her purse away.

"Work here?" the man guffawed incredulously before folding his arms and puffing out his chest with pride. "I own it!"

"I thought Corpulus owned it," Mhari stated, raising an eyebrow suspiciously, not particularly impressed with the man's candor.

"Well, okay. My father owns the Winking Skeever, but it's the family business, so it'll be mine when he...y'know- kicks off," he explained sheepishly. "Nevermind that; I noticed you looking a bit forlorn. I hope you're not troubled by your stay?"

"Oh, no sir," Mhari replied quickly, not wanting to give the man the wrong impression.

"Sorex; Sorex Vinius," the man corrected. Mhari shook the man's hand politely. She noticed that his hands seemed awfully soft for a working man; she wondered if he had actually worked a day in his life when his next question seemed to answer her own. "You wouldn't happen to have a moment to do me a favour, would you?"

"That depends on the favour, but I'm listening," Mhari replied carefully.

"I have a delivery to make to the Jarl's steward, Falk Firebeard. He ordered two bottles of Stros M'Kai Rum - top tier stuff," he explained, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "It'd save me a lot of trouble if you would take it to the Blue Palace and deliver it for me. I'm sure he'd give you some coin for the effort."

"And I suppose you won't?" Mhari inquired, her eyebrow raised.

"Oh, the coin I have is for the inn, you understand," Sorex sputtered with a shrug.

"Well, if nothing else, I'll do it for you and Corpulus," Mhari sighed. "It's the least I can do for allowing me to perform at the inn.'

"Good! Good!" Sorex chuckled contently. "I'll see you around, then."

With that, the man handed Mhari the bottle of wine before strolling off to the marketplace, chatting up a the pretty Imperial woman with honey-brown hair she'd seen during the execution.

Mhari shrugged and tucked the wine safely into her pack and walked into Radiant Raiment without another word; dimly-lit and meticulously organized from floor to ceiling.

"Why, hello! Here to buy?" a haughty voice greeted from near the counter beyond the entrance. Mhari nodded politely in response. At the counter were two Altmer women - high elves; they were both at least two hands taller than Mhari, with long, slender, pointed ears, and jagged jawlines with cheekbones that could probably slice bread. The Altmer behind the counter had golden hair that fell to her shoulders, and the other had two perfectly-symmetrical pigtails pulled to the back of her head. Their eyes were gold and filled to the brim with judgement from the moment Mhari walked into view. They wore some of the cleanest, and best-tailored fine clothing Mhari had seen thus far. The Altmer with pigtails sized Mhari up for a moment with an eyebrow raised in disdain. "If you have to ask the price, you might be in the wrong store."

"Do you always insult people when you meet them?" Mhari retorted, folding her arms in irritation at the elf's greeting.

"It's not an insult," the elf replied with a bored sigh. "Just an observation."

Mhari frowned; the woman was being incredibly rude, but Mhari did not sense the vitriol she had expected in her response. The Altmer spoke as if she were simply stating the obvious.

"If I were walking around with a wound, I would want you to tell me to see a doctor," the elf continued. "Your outfit is something of an open wound... where attire is concerned."

"What?" Mhari clicked her tongue and looked down to her clothing. "I made this myself."

"Yes, we can tell," a too-sweet-to-be-sincere reply came from the other woman at the counter. The elf with pigtails shot her a look, causing her to roll her eyes and return to sewing the dress she had been working on. "You'll have to excuse me; my sister Taarie is the one who gets on with people. It's her one virtue, really."

"You'll have to forgive my sister, Endarie," Taarie bit back with an overdone smile that could out-sweeten sugarcane. "Sometimes I wonder if she would do better to sew her own mouth shut rather than the fine fabrics that I bring her."

"Well, I could use your advice," Mhari changed the subject slightly, feeling uncomfortable as their air in the shop seemed to turn to ice. "What would one wear to the court? I need to make a delivery there, but even I know this won't cut it."

"You're going to the Blue Palace?" Taarie sounded impressed, thinking for a moment before continuing. She and her sister exchanged a momentary glance. "That does present an opportunity."

"Oh?" Mhari was unsure of what the elf could possibly need from her.

"If you're willing to wear one of Radiant Raiment's outfits and speak with the Jarl, I would not only pay you," Taarie began; Mhari heard the word 'pay' and had already decided she would accept the request. "I will also let you keep the outfit."

That sounds easy enough. Mhari thought to herself. "I'll do it."

"Good. Here's the outfit," Taarie handed Mhari a forest green dress with gold and red accents, with a neat brown fur mantle. "Try to get Jarl Elisif's opinion on it."

"And do tell her it's from Radiant Raiment," Endarie muttered from the counter. "Oh, and try not to embarrass yourself, will you? The last thing we need is you making a mess of our reputation."

Mhari was shooed out of the shop before she could offer up a retort. Scowling, she neatly folded the fine dress and tucked it away in her bag for later. Would it have killed them to say please or thank you...?

"Oh well," Mhari let out a resigned sigh. "At the very least, I'll have some nicer clothing if I need them, and I should hopefully get some coin for the wine delivery. I'm sure that between my performing at the inn and picking up little favours around the city, I'll have enough gold to buy a horse in no time."

Mhari pushed open the doors to the shop next-door and was greeted with a refreshingly-friendly Redguard woman in a casual red dress bearing white linen accents, with greying hair, who sat comfortably in a chair by the counter.

"Welcome to Bits Pieces. Feel free to look around."

Mhari greeted the woman politely, who introduced herself as Sayma; she was relieved to strike a good deal for a small tent and cooking pot, and after mentioning her desire to make some warmer clothing, the pelts of three unusually-large wolves. This is thicker fur than any of the wolves I've seen from back home; this should provide some decent coverage from the wind, at least.

"Thank you, Sayma; it was a pleasure meeting you," Mhari smiled at the Redguard woman.

"A pleasure, miss Mhari," Sayma took her seat once more beside the counter. "Be sure to speak with my husband Beirand at his forge up by the Fletcher's Shop. He should have a few more essentials if you're going to be traveling outside of Solitude."

"I'll be sure to do that," Mhari replied, waving politely to the woman as she left the shop.

Alright, enough stalling. Mhari took a deep breath as she looked across the marketplace. I ought to go straight to the Bard's College before it gets any later in the day.

Mhari passed by the marketplace, seeing three small stalls and an old well in the centre. Three children bolted by, laughing and shouting as they dodged around Mhari.

"Sorry, lady!"

"Yeah, sorry!"

Mhari laughed and shook her head as she continued along the cobblestone path. Now that she was getting to see more of it, Solitude was truly a wonder.

The pale grey walls of the city extended to incredible heights, bordering the entire city, and flags of Haafingar hung proudly on nearly every wall. There were small smatterings of trees and various flowers ranging from the golden hues Dragon's Tongue to the soft violets of Lavender and Nightshade all throughout the pathways of the city. Every home she passed by was sizeable and incredibly well-kept. Guards were wandering throughout the city, sporting their chainmail and the bold red robes of the hold. Even the graveyard down the small slope from the Hall of the Dead was as beautiful and well-maintained as every building within the city's walls.

At last, Mhari spotted the Bard's College across from the Hall of the Dead, just as Corpulus has said. It was even larger than the inn, with a marble courtyard leading to what appeared to be a small gathering area with tiered steps surrounding it; perfect for theatrical performances and merry meetings.

As Mhari pushed open the doors to the college, she was amazed at the interior of the building. Throughout the building were beautiful pillars of stone and some of the cleanest marble floors Mhari had ever seen. If the Bard's College looks this immaculate, I could only imagine what the Blue Palace is like. Mhari thought to herself, staring awestruck at the building around her. She almost didn't notice the tall Altmer man approaching her from nearby.

"Welcome to the Bard's College; I am Viarmo, the headmaster here." Viarmo was just as tall as Taarie and Endarie, and while he carried himself with pride, he did not speak to Mhari with the same snobbish derision. "How may I help you?"

Mhari felt almost as nervous as she had before her first performance. She did her best to put her anxiety out of her mind as she stood as tall and proud as she was able. "My name is Mhari Freysri - of High Rock, sir. I'm here to apply for the college."

"Always a pleasure to meet a prospective bard," Viarmo stated with a graceful bow and a smile. "You should be aware that many apply, but we accept very few people. When possible, we ask applicants to perform tasks the college needs completed."

"I'd be happy to take on any task you have," Mhari replied, surprised at her own confidence.

"Well, I do have a task befitting an aspiring bard," Viarmo began. He motioned to a nearby chair at a seating area by the entrance. Mhari followed him as he took a seat across from her, picking up a dinner roll, leaning back into the chair as he began to speak. "The Jarl has forbidden the Burning of King Olaf; it's a festival put on by the college every year. Put plainly, we need to change her mind."

"How can we manage that?" Mhari asked, her expression growing serious as she considered the information being presented to her.

"I want her to read King Olaf's verse; a part of the Poetic Edda - the living history of Skyrim. Unfortunately, the verse was lost long ago,' Viarmo explained, motioning for Mhari to help herself to a dinner roll. Mhari munched away as Viarmo continued his explanation. "According to Giraud, one of our deans, the portion of the Edda dealing with King Olaf might still exist in Dead Man's Respite."

"That is quite a task." Mhari replied with an impressed whistle. "But I myself am very curious about Skyrim's history; I should like to have a look at this portion of the Poetic Edda myself. Would you be able to tell me more about it?"

"I think Giraud would give you the best explanation of both the Edda and the history of the verse. He's right over there by the common area," Viarmo pointed to the other side of the hall where an older Imperial man in fine red quilted clothing read a comically large with a goblet of wine in his other hand.

"Why did the Jarl forbid the festival?" Mhari asked, finishing off her dinner roll and leaning forward to give the headmaster her full attention.

"As you may or may not be aware, Elisif's husband, the High King Torygg was recently killed," Viarmo began, his expression darkening as he furrowed his brow at the memory. "Jarl Elisif mourns her husband deeply, and feels that a festival that burns a king in effigy is... distasteful."

Mhari nodded grimly in response, but said nothing.

"I tried to convince her that the festival is many centuries old, and celebrates Solitude, but I need proof," he sighed. "I believe King Olaf's Verse will provide that proof."

"Understood," Mhari said finally. She sat up straight and bowed her head slightly to Viarmo. "Thank you, Headmaster."

"Giraud!" Viarmo called over his shoulder. Giraud looked up from his book, not having expected his name to be called so suddenly. "Would you come fill in our newest applicant on the details of her task?"

"With pleasure," Giraud cleared his throat and slid the book he had been reading carefully back onto it's shelf in chronological order before he made his way over to the seating area, taking up the last chair in the corner. "So you're the one he's sending to find the verse. That's good; we shouldn't just leave it lying around now that we know where it is."

"What can you tell me about the verse?" Mhari leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, eagerly awaiting his response.

"The verse was Svaknir's contribution to the Poetic Edda, the living history of Skyrim," Giraud explained with pride, simply happy to have a prospective bard who had even a modicum of interest in the history. "Each bard adds to the Edda in his or her time."

"So King Olaf's Verse is a lost part of the Edda," Mhari nodded in understanding, feeling growing excitement to seek out such an important piece of this fascinating land's history.

"And an ancient one at that. The verse criticized the reigning King Olaf. He was so incensed the bard was put to death and all the copies burned. At least, that's what we thought until I translated some ancient texts a year or so ago," Giraud explained. Viarmo's attention was turned to a squabble between bards in the other room as he excused himself quietly. "We now believe King Olaf buried the truth with the bard. If I'm right, Svaknir and King Olaf's Verse lie in Dead Man's Respite, along with the burial chamber of King Olaf himself."

"Fascinating," Mhari whispered in awe.

"Fascinating, yes; but I should warn you," Giraud grew serious. "You might find more than just King Olaf's Verse in that tomb. You need to be careful."

"Thank you, Dean Giraud," Mhari stood with him and shook his hand as she spoke. She bid him farewell and walked back out to the early evening Solitude air.

By the time Mhari had received her instructions, she was about ready to collapse. I sounded so confident when I accepted this quest, but I don't even know how I'm going to get to Dead Man's Respite, much less traverse an entire tomb on my own. Mhari sighed, jingling her coin purse that now somehow felt even more empty than before. I don't even have enough provisions to make the trip there.

As she was walking with her head hung in deep thought, she suddenly bumped into someone. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she said instinctively. She looked down to see that she had knocked over a disheveled-looking old man with desperate, mad eyes. She held out her hand to help him scramble back to his feet. "Are you alright, sir?"

"Please, my lady! Hear my plea!" the man's cries took Mhari by surprise, causing her to step back a little once she had helped the man up. "My master; he is lost between worlds and I cannot bring him back!"

Lost between worlds...? Mhari's confusion grew as the man continued.

"My master has abandoned me! Abandoned his people! And nothing I say can change his mind. Now he refuses to even see me. He says I 'interrupt his vacation'." The man's eyes saddened as he recounted his tale; Mhari stood by just as confused as before. "It's been so many years; won't you please help?"

"How can I even find your master, mister, uhh..." Mhari awaited the man to introduce himself. "Dervenin, my lady!" he chirped abruptly. "Last I saw him, he was visiting a friend in the Blue Palace. But no one as mundane as the Jarl. No, no such people are below him. He went into the forbidden wing of the palace to speak with an old friend. Said it had been ages since they last had tea."

"Your master is just... having tea with an old friend?" Mhari asked skeptically. "I thought you said he'd been gone for years?"

"Oh, and you'll need the hip bone!" Dervenin barked as though he had just remembered. He shoved a large human pelvic bone into Mhari's arms. Where was he even keeping this...? Mhari could see no discernable pockets on the man. "No entering Pelagius' Wing without that!"

"Um... thank you. I think," Mhari stuttered, uncertain as to what else to say; she tucked the oddly large hip bone into her pack, assuming the guards would not look kindly on a civilian carrying around something so conspicuous. "Dervenin... why don't you leave your master? Surely abandoning his people would be nothing short of unforgiveable."

"Oh, you just don't understand! Without him, I am not free; without him, I am doomed! All of his empire shall fall into chaos!" Dervenin replied, frantically, almost yelling at the top of his lungs as he spoke.

"Dervenin," Mhari sighed, her frustration beginning to get the better of her. "Who is your master, exactly?"

"He is a great man, but one rarely praised!" Dervenin replied, a genuine smile stretching across his lips; Mhari shuddered slightly, feeling as though his grin seemed to stretch unnaturally wide across his face. "He rules twin empires that span the length and breadth of our minds! All know him, but few can name him; but...he has forbidden me from saying his name, and woe to those who draw his ire. But you'll know him when you see him. He's the one who made me like this!"

"Duly noted," Mhari responded carefully with a nod. "I will see what I can do; but I can't promise anything."

"Thank you!" Dervenin didn't seem to acknowledge her warning, kissing her hands in a grateful frenzy. "Thank you, my lady!" Without another word, Dervenin scurried off to the graveyard.

What an odd man...

Mhari heaved her now-much-heavier pack back to the Winking Skeever, ready for a night of well-needed rest.

"Corpulus, my friend," she greeted as she slid up to the counter. "I was thinking of playing the drum this evening for your lovely patrons."

"Play away, songstress!" Corpulus replied with an exaggerated, flourish of his hand and a bow. Mhari giggled, shaking her head, as she made her way back to her room to change and pick up the drum she had used the night before.

"What should I play tonight?" Mhari wondered aloud. "Surely they wouldn't appreciate if I simply played the same song every single night."

As Mhari adorned herself with her usual coal-lined eyes, she settled on her song choice for the evening; a far more upbeat song, and perhaps more ambitious. "I hope they like it."

As Mhari took her place in the dining area, settling into her playing position, she swore under her breath. I feel just as nervous as I did the night before. She took a deep breath, allowing her a moment to find her center once more, momentarily blocking out the sounds and chaos of the inn. Deep breaths...

To Mhari's delight, a couple patrons that were deep enough into their cups rose from their seats to stomp and dance to her playing; Mhari had not seen her music move someone to dance aside from her family in this manner, and the thought of it made her giddy with excitement; her fear was quickly forgotten for the rest of her performance; though her crowd was not much larger than the one she had performed for the night prior. To scattered, but enthusiastic applause, Mhari skipped to the counter where Corpulus thumped his hand on the counter-top in delight.

"What do you have the hankering for, bard?" Corpulus asked with a jolly grin. "I think you've earned your choice of a meal!"

"Actually," Mhari thought for a moment. "You wouldn't happen to have vegetable soup, would you?"

"Vegetable soup?" Corpulus frowned. "You don't want something a little heartier?"

"It's one of my favourites!" Mhari mumbled shyly. "I know it's boring to most folks, but it reminds me of home."

"Homesick already, eh? Here, let me get you a drink while I get that ready for you," Corpulus offered. "Alto wine?"

"Actually, if you have any mead in stock, I'll take a bottle," Mhari leaned over the bar with a yawn.

After an hour or two passed, the inn began to grow quieter, the patrons retreating to their homes and rooms. Following suit, Mhari took care to change and remove her makeup before crawling into her bed an hour later. As she laid her head on the soft, yet somehow still coarse linen pillowcase, she mulled over her next steps.

There's still so much of this city I want to see; and I may not have much gold leftover, but I need to get my supplies and provisions figured if I'm going to complete Viarmo's task... not to mention figuring out what to do about this hip-bone... The very thought of it made Mhari even drowsier. She drifted off to the sounds of the night as they echoed from just beyond the inn window; the crickets and night-bugs singing their choruses deep into the ether.

~To Be Continued...~

Note From the Author: Thank you again for reading the latest chapter of Songstress of Skyrim! If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider following this story and dropping a comment below. I'd love to hear what my readers think; what their favourite parts were, what they'd like to see more of, etc. I hope to see you in the next chapter, dear reader.

~Voth Werid

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