Chapter Six-An Interesting Conversation

"I still don't understand, why it has to be us. Nor how you have time to train us, isn't this an emergency" I said from my stool at the bar, a large horker steak covered in gravy with mashed potatoes and milk was almost half destroyed in front of me. 

The Large bear-like man looked over at me again, empty jugs of mead surrounding him and Ryker, whose head was already slumped against the counter.

"Well that's pretty simple... look at the guards around us" He said with a sigh as he waved to the barkeep for another round, it seemed he was drinking his body weight in mead tonight.

With an angry huff I began observing the guards that were grabbing a bite to eat after their day shift ended. Most of them were barely older than me, with a few scars but nothing major. Basic steel or Iron pieces of armor or weapons were how they were armed. The average level was only... 9.

"They're all lackluster... What kind of bullshit is this." I asked him with a twitching brow. He seemed impressed I could tell as he began laughing his ass off.

"Well, for one we're the Jarl guards, not Imperials fighting on the frontlines against the Cloaks'. Plus, welcome to Riverwood, where the bandits are allowed to survive by training our guards. Hell most of them have only been guards for two years." 

"So you're telling me this is nothing but a... training ground for Balgruufs guards? And the people of Riverwood are okay with that." I asked in a hushed whisper as if we were talking about a large conspiracy.

"No need to speak in such hushed tones lad, the people already know. The population of this town is just under three thousand. They're just happy to know that just under ten percent of that are guards, even if most of them are basic farmhands that want to swing a sword around and chase honor." Bors said with a smile as he knocked back another full tankard of mead.

"How can you control that though.... It seems like it would be chaos." I said as my interest got the better of me, knowing full well he masterfully changed the topic.

"I may have explained it wrong... When I said allowed to live, I should've said not enough of a threat to warrant entire extermination. Before it was decided that this town would be the guards training ground it was a place of utter chaos. You see Riverwood is more important than it looks, more than being a town it is the road for trade from Southern Skyrim to Whiterun, this couldn't be allowed as you would agree." Another was knocked back in seconds.

"So when the Jarl himself came here twenty years ago to exterminate them himself? He did something nobody expected. Mercy for the murderers of his citizens, but he thought ahead and changed Riverwood completely. Now instead of a weakness of his hold? It's probably his strongest wall, trade to the south is protected while his young guard is trained in relatively safe battles, but battles nonetheless. And if a random carriage of goods is sent here with a known cloak or Thalmor spy on it? And It mysteriously disappears….. Well, our leadership could turn a blind eye to that." He said as he looked at me with a side eye to gauge my reaction. 

"That is.... Begrudgingly genius, I have one more off-topic question then. Of those three thousand, how many are mages?" I asked curiously. He paused in one of his gulps in surprise at the question.

"One healer....That lives here under no order."

'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN! Strongest wall my ass'

"Now don't look at me like you want to kill me. You mages aren't liked well in Skyrim, you all stay in your little college and only come out to head into some ruin or another. Thousands of mages, all in one place like that? Paints a picture most Nords dislike. Hell, there are maybe twenty in all of Whiterun and only five of them are under the Jarl's employ. There are traveling mages but when offered a job they usually run for the hills'' Bors said with a sigh. 'Thousands…..'

'Racism and prejudice weaken Skyrim further…..'

"And where were you headed Cilus" He said as he seemed completely sober all of a sudden, looking me in the eye to check for a lie. 

"The college….. You, bastards, have fucked this country, can't even go pick Ninroot without having to dodge an arrow, ya wonder why the mages stay neutral and hole up in their towers. Besides the prejudice and racism, mind you" 

"Huahahaha" I was honestly expecting to get punched but he just started laughing his ass off.

"Ha…ha… ha, I knew I liked you. You look like an elf but speak like a Nord, Without pulling your punches, Skyrim has already got her claws in you. You are right though young one. Now that the lass has finally arrived I'll answer the question you've been pestering me about all night." And just as he spoke the prettiest woman in town walked in, everything grew quiet as many would expect. Tiberia looked a lot different in a coherent set of armor.

'How did he know she was here though, eyes in the back of his head?' I wondered as I gave a probing look at the Knight next to me.

She looked around quickly oblivious to all the attention she was receiving, I sent her a wave as she began walking over to us and sitting on the stool next to me.

"Now as to why It has to be you all is really simple, a Courier wouldn't survive the journey. There is a battle going on at Fort Greymoor as we speak, the cloaks and the Imperials. Any hold guard would be seen as an imperial spy and killed. That leaves either me going by myself, leaving my city defenseless, when you all have confirmed there is or was a dragon near by"

"Or I could try my best to send a group of hardened adventures in my place." He said as he ordered another tankard of mead for himself and Tiberia. She seemed more interested in what was on my plate as she ordered a second the same way.

"Your bar for hardened adventures is extremely low....." I said with a sigh as I took a sip of milk only to jerk when Tiberia kicked me in the shin from under the bar.

"Such are the times we live in. Well, I'm not going to force any of you to actually do anything. You could just run for the hills the second you leave town. Everything I've done up to this point we'll consider your reward for bringing this information to me. Your stay in this inn has been paid for a week. Just know I'm a decent friend to have, so training will start on Morndas at 8:00. Show or not it is up to you all. Night adventures." He said as he got up and began re-arming himself.

"Oh and kid, you'll find the healers shop near the western wall. Whether he'll give you the time of day or not is unknown, but it's worth a shot to try and get him to teach you something." He said with a smile as he left the tavern/Inn.

With that me and Tiberia sat in relative silence as we began finishing our meals, well besides the rowdy Nords and the drunken snoring of Ryker next to me. Still it was amazing, just relaxing and eating a hot meal.

Might as well check my progress up to this point.

Name: Cilus

Title:

Level:4

Mana :220/190(220*)

Strength:5

Dexterity:7

Endurance:8

Intelligence:19

Stat points:15

'So the only thing that hasn't gone up is strength and I now have 15 stat points. Not bad for two days of traveling and fighting.'

"So what do you think?" Tiberia asked in between bites of horker steak.

"About?" I replied back disinterested.

"I mean what are you going to do?" Tiberia asked more sharply.

"Run for the fucking hills, this Nordic honor quest? Bull shit, sounds like a trick your leaders use to get people to join a suicide quest." I said as I took the last bite of the five pound horker steak I absolutely obliterated. She seemed to give me a small glare at my lack of 'honor' or maybe the disrespect to hers?

"Don't get me wrong…. Bors seems like an alright guy, but I'm not risking my neck just for em.'' I said with a shrug as I chugged the second glass of milk.

"Figured Rykers with you and Ralofs in the wind so say I wanted to participate in this 'suicide quest'. Would you come with me?" She asked the question and locked eyes with me. A question I hoped I wouldn't have to answer.