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The morning fog was just beginning to burn off as Brynjolf started north out of Riften, and by the time he had passed Fort Greenwall it was a beautiful day with a light, clean breeze, as fine and rare a day as the Rift ever saw. He breathed deeply, tipped his head up to the sun, and for a moment set aside all the worries he\u2019d been harboring. He was approaching Shor\u2019s Stone when he heard rapid footsteps behind him, and turned to meet the courier.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait! Wait, sir!\u201d<\/p>\n
The young Bosmer was trying valiantly to catch his breath.\u00a0 Brynjolf watched as the courier reached into his satchel and fumbled around in it, finally pulling out a parchment sealed with wax and tied with a black ribbon.<\/p>\n
\u201cGosh I\u2019ve been everywhere looking for you. I guess I just missed you in Riften. I\u2019ve got something for you. She paid me a pretty penny to get it to you from Solitude! Your hands only.\u201d He thrust the document toward Brynjolf, motioning for him to take it.<\/p>\n
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\u201cShe? Who sent this?\u201d Brynjolf asked, taking possession of the scroll.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe didn\u2019t give her name, but she gave me the creeps, if you don\u2019t mind my saying so. Wore a big hood. I didn\u2019t catch more than a glimpse of them but I didn\u2019t much like her eyes. They were\u2026 odd.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, well. It\u2019s been a long time. What do you suppose she wants me for?<\/em><\/p>\n He dug into a pocket and pulled out several gold pieces, handing them to the boy. \u201cHere, lad. I know she paid you well but this is for the extra effort. Thank you. I\u2019m sorry you had to chase me.\u201d<\/p>\n The boy\u2019s eyes brightened as he took the money and a grin spread across his face. \u201cNo, thank you! <\/em>Well, that\u2019s it. Gotta go.\u201d He turned toward the south and started trotting back down the road to Riften.<\/p>\n Brynjolf tucked the scroll into his pack and continued north, waiting until he was well past Shor\u2019s Stone and starting down the slope into Eastmarch, stepping into the fog that had not yet burned off in the lower elevations before pulling it out to give it a look.\u00a0 He slipped the ribbon off the parchment and smiled as he broke the wax seal.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, Serana, what\u2019s on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n He skimmed the message quickly. He startled after just a few words, and shook his head, a frown taking his face and deepening as he went back to the beginning to read once more.<\/p>\n Brynjolf, I hope this finds you well.<\/p>\n I wish I had better news to share, but the fact is that I need your opinion and, possibly, your assistance. Vingalmo is dead. I witnessed his killing. More than that I cannot share in writing; but the killer must be dealt with and I need the benefit of your observations in deciding what to do. It is obviously not safe for you to come here and I don\u2019t dare travel as far as Riften for fear of arousing suspicions. Please meet me in Dawnstar as soon as possible. I will contact Babette and rely on her to find a suitable place.<\/p>\n I thank you in advance.<\/p>\n Serana<\/p>\n He read the entire thing twice before stuffing it deep into his pack. This missive would need to be burned as soon as he could find an appropriate flame.<\/p>\n Vingalmo, dead? That hardly seems possible<\/em>.<\/p>\n He knew better than most that while the world thought of vampires as immortal \u2013 and, given the right set of circumstances they could live as close to \u201cforever\u201d as anything else \u2013 they were<\/em> capable of being killed, all too capable of dying. His life might be very different if not for that.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t terribly uncommon to hear the remnants of the Vigilants of Stendarr and other fanatic groups brag that they\u2019d taken out some vampires here or there. Usually those were fledglings \u2013 the weaker sort, newly-turned vampires not yet possessed of their full powers. The older vampires rarely turned up in those stories, or in anything, really, aside from nightmares. They were simply too strong, too experienced, and had too many varieties of skills to be easily taken out. They also sent thralls and lesser vampires to do much of their dirty work. As a practical matter the vampires at the highest levels of power were, for all intents and purposes, immortal.<\/p>\n Vingalmo had been one of those.<\/p>\n And yet.<\/p>\n Even those tremendously strong vampires could <\/em>be killed, if not easily. If taken by surprise a vampire could be burned, or staggered by silver-tipped weapons and torn asunder physically. A starving vampire could be killed by the sun, as Vitus had been. It had taken three strong opponents and a weapon imbued with the power of a god to kill Harkon, Lord of the Volkihar, but they had done it. The strongest vampires could <\/em>be killed; but it wasn\u2019t easy to do so. The vast majority of people who attempted to kill ancient vampires ended up turned, or dead.<\/p>\n Someone had to have caught Vingalmo by surprise. He was far too clever to put himself in harm\u2019s way. It almost had to have been an inside job.<\/em><\/p>\n I can only think of one or two who might have done it. Garan Marethi had no reason to kill Vingalmo and no desire to upset the balance of the court. Having us return the castle to something like order was as close to happy as I\u2019ve ever seen him. Orthjolf wanted the throne for himself but I can\u2019t picture him killing his favorite rival. He enjoyed the constant game of insults and politics too much. None of the others are strong enough, singly, and I can\u2019t imagine them rising up against him together now when they didn\u2019t before this. Serana might have done it, from what I saw, but she wouldn\u2019t have written to me about it.<\/em><\/p>\n That leaves Edwyn Wickham.<\/em><\/p>\n He trudged down out of the crisp mountain air onto the steaming volcanic tundra, deep in thought the whole way. All of his previous interactions with the Archmage replayed in his mind. The man was pushy, that was certain. He was ambitious \u2013 that also was clear; and part of that ambition involved his desire to find Auriel\u2019s Bow. He was genteel to a fault \u2013 at least externally; but Brynjolf remembered the sharp, palpable threat just under the surface of every exchange they\u2019d had.<\/p>\n I played with him. He knows from others that I was once a vampire and he knows from speaking with me that I\u2019m not one now. I played with him, not telling him how that came about, just to make him frustrated. If we hadn\u2019t been right there in Riften I might have had some concerns for my own safety. That is a man who is capable of violence. I don\u2019t know whether he\u2019d measure up to Vitus or not on that front but still\u2026 it was a good thing we were in town.<\/em><\/p>\n And what should I do, if that\u2019s who Serana saw? How do I advise her? I guess I need to wait and find out what she needs.<\/em><\/p>\n It weighed on him, all the rest of the way through the wilderness.\u00a0 He detoured through Kynesgrove, quietly checking the inn and the mine and knocking on the door of Roggi\u2019s home in the off chance that the two of them were, for some bizarre reason, there.<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to talk to them. Particularly Roggi. He always manages to settle my mind. <\/em><\/p>\n They weren\u2019t in Kynesgrove. There hadn\u2019t really been any reason to expect them to be there, but he couldn\u2019t help feeling a bit disappointed.\u00a0 He rubbed his eyes and yawned as he made his way back out to the road.<\/p>\n The wee lass has been keeping me awake. I\u2019m just tired. That\u2019s all. There\u2019s nothing horrible going on.<\/em><\/p>\n Then he laughed at himself.<\/p>\n What am I saying? I\u2019ve been called to Windhelm by Ulfric Stormcloak himself and called to Dawnstar by Serana. Something\u2019s up and even if it\u2019s not horrible, it\u2019s not good.<\/em><\/p>\n The war had barely ended and now things were stirring again. He fully expected the Thalmor to mount an attack while things were unsettled still. They\u2019d be foolish not to, if he looked at it from their point of view. After all, he also was planning to take advantage of the unsettled state of things to start up his own business. In spite of all that, though, this didn\u2019t have the scent of an impending attack to it.<\/p>\n Brynjolf wasn\u2019t a superstitious man, or a religious one; but the events of the past several years had impressed on him that life on Nirn was more complicated than he\u2019d known, more complicated than a few instances of local politics. There were echoes of past actions down through the years, down through the ages for that matter; and those actions frequently seemed to involve people and things greater than any of the world\u2019s current cast of mortal characters. That\u2019s what it felt like, getting summoned by both Ulfric Stormcloak and Serana in the space of just a few days. He didn\u2019t like it. It made him nervous; and he didn\u2019t like being nervous. It was too reminiscent of the years of desperately trying to hold the Guild together in the face of power that he hadn\u2019t even known was working against him.<\/p>\n Well, I survived the Soul Cairn and I\u2019ve survived Nocturnal, so far anyway. I can survive this.<\/em><\/p>\n That was the set of his mind as he trudged at last up the ancient stairs and pushed open the great doors of the Palace of Kings. He had cast his eyes downward, so as not to trip on the threshold; when he stepped through and looked up, he broke into a smile. They were all there: Ulfric, of course; Roggi and Dardeh; and, looking particularly lovely and nothing like the girl in warrior\u2019s clothing he\u2019d met before, Frina. He moved very slowly down the room toward them, listening to them speak, gathering information, surprised at how happy he was to see at least three of the four.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s this about family, lass?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at him then, smiled, and called out. \u201cBrynjolf! I\u2019d heard you were on your way here.\u00a0 It\u2019s good to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n He took a few steps forward and stood with his arms crossed, smiling.\u00a0 It was good to see them again, too.<\/p>\n \u201cGlad I made it in time for the reunion,\u201d he said, turning to Ulfric \u2013 the one man in the room he knew but had never been formally introduced to. \u201cPleased to make your acquaintance officially, Jarl Ulfric. I\u2019m Brynjolf of Riften.\u201d<\/p>\n One of Ulfric\u2019s eyebrows rose and the tiniest hint of a smirk crossed his face. \u201cI wondered if perhaps you were the person in question. I remember you from the day before our wedding. Welcome to my court, and thank you for coming so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t often get letters from the Jarl,\u201d Brynjolf said with a grin.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t often write them to people I haven\u2019t met,\u201d Ulfric answered smoothly, his eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n Ulfric had Jorlief clear the room except for several of the guards, who moved to the far end of the great hall. Frina stepped out for a moment, and he could hear her giving instructions to someone, most likely the staff. While they were busy seeing to those matters, Brynjolf stepped next to Roggi and leaned close to his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad to see the two of you here,\u201d he said. \u201cI was feeling the need for a little good advice.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi gave him a look that he couldn\u2019t decipher. \u201cAnd you thought you\u2019d speak to me, of all people?\u201d He chuckled, but it was a grim, sardonic chuckle, not a laugh of amusement. \u201cI have to admit that I\u2019m interested to find out why Ulfric called you here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo am I, lad. I have a feeling things are stirring again. People are starting to take advantage.\u201d He dropped his voice and leaned closer. \u201cMaybe later we can speak alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe you\u2019re correct, Brynjolf. Someone is trying to take advantage of the uncertainty of the times.\u201d Ulfric\u2019s deep voice caught everyone\u2019s attention, as he returned to the table. \u201cAnd thus it is a very good thing that we have noticed it early. It\u2019s time to prepare for the future. Please, have a seat. I need your counsel, all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven me, Ulfric?\u201d Frina said, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cEspecially you, my Stormblade. You and Harald will play a prominent role in our future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHarald?\u201d Brynjolf asked.<\/p>\n \u201cMy lord Ulfric\u2019s child to be will be named Harald if he\u2019s a son,\u201d Frina said, smiling. \u201cIf not, well… I have a name in mind. But I suspect it is Harald I carry at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful, lass.\u201d He smiled at her, his mind going instantly to the tiny redhead in the cradle he\u2019d made with his own hands. \u201cWell, if any of you want the experience of changing an infant, I\u2019ll invite you to Riften,\u201d he said, grinning at them. \u201cQaralana decided to appear quite a bit earlier than we had expected her. So I\u2019m now father to two. I think it\u2019s a good thing Sayma and I moved into the house with lots of space in the children\u2019s room. She thought I was crazy. Maybe I was. But it sounds like we can have quite the gathering some day.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone chuckled; but Brynjolf watched Roggi\u2019s eyes and wondered if he\u2019d managed to pour additional salt into an open wound. With as different as she looked now, and as long as it had been, it was easy to forget that Roggi and Dagnell had once been together. He kept staring at Roggi, thinking \u201care we alright, lad?\u201d until finally, after several very long moments, Roggi gave him a confused look, followed by a small smile and nod.<\/p>\n I wonder what Vitus would think if he knew how much better I\u2019ve gotten with that. There was a time when it was a struggle to do anything more finessed than getting someone to attack.<\/em><\/p>\n They chatted like that for a few more minutes while getting settled. Then Ulfric cleared his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me get down to business, then. As you know, Brynjolf, your earlier suggestions that we look into piracy were invaluable. Now, though, we are finding that the attacks are starting up again. This is unacceptable. We need the EETC to be flourishing.\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh made a noise, a cross between a snort and a question.<\/p>\n Brynjolf looked at him, saw his confused expression and nodded, then turned back to Ulfric. \u201cI agree with Dardeh. With all due respect, Jarl Ulfric, I thought you wanted the Empire out of Skyrim.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Frina\u2019s turn to snort. \u201cAren\u2019t you the one who told me not to confuse business with politics?\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf chuckled. \u201cAye, lass. I\u2019m just trying to get a sense of things right now.\u201d\u00a0 I need to know the lay of the land before I can plot a course across it, and I\u2019m not certain that I trust Ulfric Stormcloak.<\/em><\/p>\n Ulfric nodded. \u201cAnd that is a wise approach. Here is my answer to your question. I do want the Empire out of Skyrim, so far as religion and rule are concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI could have told you that, Bryn,\u201d Roggi murmured. \u201cThat\u2019s one thing Ulfric and I have always agreed on: the Empire needs to keep its hands off our religion. That\u2019s more a Thalmor thing than the Empire as a whole, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey are intertwined because the Empire vowed to uphold the White-Gold Concordat,\u201d Ulfric finished, as if they\u2019d both been speaking the same sentence. He and Roggi grinned at each other for a moment, and Brynjolf saw Dardeh roll his eyes.<\/p>\n Well, well. I wonder what went on here.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHowever,\u201d Ulfric continued, \u201cit\u2019s important for Tamriel as a whole that trading is allowed to proceed. It\u2019s the only way to rebuild, and you surely know how much rebuilding is required after years of conflict. There is nothing about trade with the Empire that is at odds with having a strong and independent Skyrim ruled by Nords.\u201d<\/p>\n He paused to stare at Brynjolf for a moment, clearly waiting for a reaction. Seeing none \u2013 for Brynjolf was very careful not to let his expression change \u2013 he continued. \u201cIn fact, I was urged to send agents against the Emperor several years ago when he visited Solitude. I refused. That would have a declaration of war against the entirety of Tamriel rather than simply a fight for independent rule as a province of the Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that what we ended up with anyway, Ulfric?\u201d Dardeh rumbled. \u201cA war with the Empire?\u201d<\/p>\n Frina shook her head. \u201cNo, Dardeh. If Ulfric had been declaring war on the Empire itself he would have seized the throne when we won Solitude, without waiting for the Moot. He would have sent someone against the Emperor when he had the chance. He didn\u2019t do those things. They would have bled the province dry. All he wanted \u2013 all any of us wanted, really \u2013 was for the High King not to give in to demands that we abandon Talos. You know that part well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd yet someone did<\/em> kill the Emperor,\u201d Dardeh argued.<\/p>\n The alarm bells in Brynjolf\u2019s head started ringing. It was definitely time to get this conversation back on track before Ulfric started wondering more closely who exactly had killed Titus Meade II. He felt confident that Ulfric had no reason to lament the late Emperor\u2019s absence but as High King he might well be called upon to investigate the deed. The less he knew, the better.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd trade went on as well as it could until the Blood Horkers started getting more active,\u201d he said, leaning forward. \u201cI understand you were responsible for shutting them down, lass.\u201d<\/p>\n Frina nodded. \u201cInadvertently, but yes. It was ugly. And now they\u2019re starting to operate again.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded. \u201cI\u2019ve begun to have a theory about why this is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, and that is exactly why I had hoped to speak with you,\u201d Ulfric said, nodding. \u201cI thought that might be the case, since you were the one who alerted Frina earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded again.\u00a0 He was about to take another step toward his own independence, and while it felt very good, it was nerve-wracking.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a very long time now, the organization I work with has had a contact within the East Empire Company in Solitude. For a period of time \u2013 ah, how do I put this \u2013 his contacts with us were dropping off, and thus our income from the, uh, arrangement was as well. When Frina disrupted the Blood Horkers, things returned to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric nodded. \u201cAnd you were making money again, your\u2026 organization.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s correct.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh for the love of Talos, just tell him who you are, Bryn,\u201d Roggi snorted. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason he should be the only one who doesn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf felt his temper flare.<\/p>\n At the same time, he heard Dardeh hiss. \u201cRoggi!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t say a word, Brynjolf,\u201d Ulfric said, holding up a hand and turning to Roggi. \u201cRoggi, I understand what you are getting at. However, you of all people should know better. What I suspect has been unsaid will be better left unsaid. If I can legitimately say that I do not know as a certainty<\/em> what organization Brynjolf leads,\u201d \u2013 and with that he turned to wink at Brynjolf \u2013 \u201cthe better it will be for all of us. I may be reasonably certain that I know this information but the future High King should not be in the habit of deliberately lying.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, well. He is clever and fairly devious, isn\u2019t he? I shouldn\u2019t be surprised but somehow I am. I do believe I could come to like this man. <\/em><\/p>\n Roggi sighed, frowning down at the table. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, everyone. You\u2019re right. I should know better. I do<\/em> know better.\u201d He tossed his hands up. \u201cIt\u2019s just as well I don\u2019t work for you anymore, Ulfric. I\u2019ve lost my edge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHardly,\u201d Dardeh said quietly. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you all sometime about how we managed to get lumber flowing to Helgen again and you\u2019ll be able to judge for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there\u2019s the small matter of finding Sayma,\u201d Brynjolf added. \u201cYou were instrumental in that, and you had to work around\u2026 me. I hate to see you looking down on yourself, lad. You\u2019re a rare find. Let\u2019s just leave the unspoken understandings unspoken for the moment and we\u2019ll all be better off in the long run.\u201d\u00a0 He met Ulfric\u2019s gaze and saw that they agreed. \u201cI think we understand each other fairly well, Jarl Ulfric.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric gave him a small smile. \u201cFeel free to dispense with the title, Brynjolf. But do continue.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Not long ago, my wife was in Solitude and had a discussion with this very contact of ours.\u00a0 He mentioned that shipping was being disrupted again. He said there were rumors that someone was trying to use the Blood Horkers to corner the market on shipping. I believe I know who this person might be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t mean\u2026 her? Do you?\u201d Roggi asked.<\/p>\n Brynjolf laughed. \u201cAnd you thought you\u2019d lost your edge. You\u2019re sharp as a whip. That\u2019s exactly who I mean, Roggi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2026 are you talking about?\u201d Frina asked, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cI would expect we\u2019re now discussing the woman who was very briefly Jarl of the Rift, Maven Black-Briar,\u201d Ulfric said quietly. \u201cFew have as long a record of grasping for power and control.\u201d<\/p>\n Impressive. He already knew. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes you think she\u2019d take such a round-about way of grabbing power, Bryn?\u201d Roggi asked, his brow wrinkled.<\/p>\n \u201cIt turns out that you know more about this than you realize, Roggi,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cDo you remember working with Dagnell, several years ago, on a job in Whiterun?\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi flushed. \u201cYou know I do, Bryn. The meadery. What about it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if I were to tell you that Maven was using that job to put in her own man \u2013 Mallus Maccius \u2013 by getting rid of Sabjorn? That\u2019s how she works. Round about. Indirect. Weaving webs. I\u2019ve been watching her for a long, long time now. If there is anyone alive who would go to such lengths to corner the market on shipping, it is Maven. She wants to control everything and is happier to do it behind the scenes, even if it means she doesn\u2019t sit in a throne.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut why now, Bryn?\u201d That was Dardeh, rumbling his question.<\/p>\n \u201cNot just now. I guarantee you she\u2019s been working on it since the Emperor was killed. It gave her the opening she needed to start putting her own people in place, slowly, starting by pushing out the Emperor\u2019s family.\u201d He looked up to see Ulfric staring at him intently. \u201cNow then. I thought you\u2019d send troops in to disrupt the Horkers, earlier. That\u2019s why I planted the seed in Frina\u2019s ear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would have, had she not run off and single-handedly disrupted their operation.\u201d Ulfric smiled at Frina. \u201cI am continually grateful that she managed to escape that with her life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, at that point I was under the impression that I was helping our organization by doing that. What I didn\u2019t realize until recently was that I inadvertently thwarted Maven\u2019s plan. She\u2019d gotten very bold about it, being named Jarl\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Dardeh groaned. \u201cAnd that was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi shook his head. \u201cNot this again, Dar. You did what you had to do. Even Galmar understood that.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric chuckled. \u201cEven Galmar, indeed. Even Ulfric Stormcloak, though he was not happy at that moment, understood what you were trying to accomplish, Dragonborn. And we disrupted her plans not only through winning the conflict but through the actions of Brynjolf, here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait, I\u2019m still not sure I understand,\u201d Dardeh said, running a hand up over his head and scratching his scalp. \u201cHow does the Blood Horkers disrupting shipping help Maven?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause, lad, every time one of those events happened, there was always an EEC employee or two gone missing or found dead, and it just happened that there was someone ready to step in to fill the gaps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaven\u2019s people,\u201d Roggi said.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly. It\u2019s taken me a long time to figure it out, but the message from our contact in Solitude was the key. You see, a while back we were having a\u2026 let\u2019s call it a slowdown in proceeds from that person.\u00a0 We sent a representative to show him the error of his ways, thinking that we were returning things to their proper status. And yes, it started the flow of funds again but Maven was mad as a wet hen and I didn\u2019t understand why. It\u2019s finally fallen into place. She wanted to send her own man in to \u2018rescue\u2019 the operation.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi sighed, and ran a hand down his face. \u201cSo out of the goodness of her heart she \u2018saves\u2019 the EETC and oh, by the way, ends up with more power than anyone else in the Empire aside from the Emperor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho is deceased,\u201d Ulfric added. \u201cYou have the right of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo what do we do about this?\u201d Dardeh asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNow that Brynjolf has confirmed my suspicions, I will be increasing my support of shipping in every way I am able,\u201d Ulfric said. \u201cIf that means assigning soldiers to every ship, we shall do that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the ports, dear?\u201d Frina murmured.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will of course increase the numbers of eyes here in Windhelm. The other two ports require the cooperation of the Jarls. Jarl Skald of Dawnstar has always been a staunch supporter, but I have not heard from him recently. And then there is the matter of Solitude.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought Jarl Elisif agreed to support you, Ulfric,\u201d Dardeh asked. \u201cI know she did. I was there with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric nodded. \u201cYes, but as you may or may not know, the Jarl has recently remarried.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Brynjolf muttered. \u201cLord Edwyn Wickham, originally of High Rock and more recently of Cyrodiil, Archmage of the College of Winterhold\u2026\u201d\u00a0 He trailed off, not wanting to mention Volkihar Island.<\/p>\n \u201cI take it you have met the man, Brynjolf?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded. \u201cYes, Ulfric. Several times now. He, uh, swooped in and purchased a mansion in Solitude that I had hoped to buy. It used to belong to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAndante?\u201d Roggi finished. \u201cSo the Archmage bought Proudspire, eh? And then married Elisif.\u00a0 And that means\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat means, Roggi,\u201d Frina said in a sour tone, \u201cthat Ulfric and I will have been very fortunate if we managed to conceive before Elisif did. The succession, you know. That is not what I set out to do,\u201d and she glanced at Ulfric with one eyebrow raised, \u201cbut that is what has happened. And here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUgh,\u201d Dardeh said. \u201cI thought we\u2019d have peace after we won the war, Ulfric.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric shook his head. \u201cThere will be peace for a time, during which we must rebuild Skyrim into the land it once was. Strong. Self-reliant. The center of mankind. This is one of the reasons we need shipping to be secure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause it\u2019s never really over, is it?\u201d Roggi muttered, shaking his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Ulfric said quietly. \u201cGetting rid of the Empire was only half the problem. Soon, the elves will again seek to rule the world. We must ready ourselves to fight them. For it will be Skyrim that shall lead Tamriel in those dark days, when the fate of the world is finally determined.”<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s undoubtedly the case,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cBut what part of Skyrim?\u201d What if it ends up being Edwyn? <\/em>He shuddered, in spite of himself. I can\u2019t let that happen. We can\u2019t let that happen. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI would sooner see it be you than anyone else, Ulfric,\u201d Dardeh said firmly. \u201cYou at least have the best interests of Skyrim in your heart. This is something I trust my gut about. I suspect that Maven Black-Briar does not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can guarantee that, lad. Maven Black-Briar is concerned, first and foremost, with protecting the interests of Maven Black-Briar. Even her own family comes second. I also feel fairly certain Edwyn Wickham is not the person we want in charge.\u201d Brynjolf inhaled deeply and blew it out. \u201cI\u2019ll tell you what, Jarl Ulfric. It happens that I have business in Dawnstar. Why don\u2019t I get the sense of things there, while I\u2019m at it, and report back to you on my way home?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulfric nodded. \u201cThat sounds like an excellent idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then,\u201d Brynjolf said, grinning, \u201cI have another idea that I will be putting into play, very soon. I suspect it will take a bit of the wind out of Maven Black-Briar\u2019s sails.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet me know if I can assist,\u201d Ulfric said, shooting him a small smirk.<\/p>\n I think the Jarl of Windhelm and I understand each other very nicely. Who would have thought it?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate the offer. But I suspect this is also one of those understandings that should be left unsaid, all things considered.\u201d<\/p>\n They spoke for a few moments longer, then began to take their leave of each other. Brynjolf was partway down the hall when Roggi tapped him on the arm.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what is it you needed an opinion about, Bryn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI got a message on the way here, Roggi. From, ah\u2026 one of Andante\u2019s former associates.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi frowned. \u201cFrom the island, I would assume?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye. There\u2019s been a senior person there killed. I have my suspicions about who the killer was, but not why. If I\u2019m right\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi stroked his beard thoughtfully. \u201cThere\u2019s something going on with vampires, Bryn. They\u2019ve been after Dar for awhile now.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf glanced at Dardeh, who was talking with Frina. \u201cIs he alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, now he is. He doesn\u2019t want to believe that they\u2019re after him, Bryn, but \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n For the next few minutes Brynjolf\u2019s frown got deeper and deeper as Roggi caught him up on some of the things they\u2019d encountered in the past few weeks. The attack that had led to Rayya\u2019s death had him particularly disturbed.<\/p>\n \u201cListen, lad. I have a feeling we\u2019re going to need to talk more after I get back. Any chance I can talk you two into going home by way of Riften? Just tell Sayma you\u2019re there to meet your niece.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi\u2019s face softened into a smile. \u201cMy niece. I guess she is, isn\u2019t she? Well then. Dar made me come out here to talk to Ulfric; I guess he won\u2019t mind if I insist we go see his sister. Be careful, Brynjolf.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf patted Roggi on the shoulder. \u201cI\u2019ll make it as quick a trip as I can manage. Take care, Roggi. I\u2026\u201d He hesitated for a moment. I don\u2019t suppose I can make it any worse.<\/em>\u201dI don\u2019t know what happened just before I arrived, but I can tell it was difficult. Take care of yourselves. Both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n Roggi sighed.\u00a0 Then he straightened his shoulders and smiled. \u201cI will, Brynjolf. We\u2019ll be fine. See you soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf nodded and pushed open the doors of the keep.\u00a0 It was time to find out what was going on in Dawnstar.<\/p>\n The morning fog was just beginning to burn off as Brynjolf started north out of Riften, and by the time he had passed Fort Greenwall it was a beautiful day with a light, clean breeze, as fine and rare a day as the Rift ever saw. 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<\/p>\nPart II: Resolution<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"