234 Stranger's Mourn

It's the day after Lohir's remains had been recovered, and Michael was awakened with yet another visitor. It wasn't Valdr this time though, instead, it was Ari, she was standing at his door with crossed arms and an unusually firm posture. "Morning, Michael. I'm here to see if you were willing to be present for Lohir's funeral, I know you didn't know him very well, but you more than anyone should be there to celebrate his life."

Michael shakes his head with confusion, "Eh? I only killed a bear though?" he mutters, not really understanding why he should be involved at all.

"You didn't just slay a bear, you avenged him and bested the creature that put him down. By all rights, that's a higher honour than most of us attending have. We all wish for you to be there, and I am sure Lohir would have as well." she offers with a small, tame smile.

Michael brushes a finger over his upper lip in thought, "I'm not really one for funerals..." he utters, realising that he hadn't actually been to a funeral before... "I don't think the mourning and prayers would suit me well..."

Ari gives him a weird look before her brows raise as if she'd had an epiphany, "Oh! You think it'll be like one of 'those' funerals?" she shakes her head, "We're Nords, and we'll sends Lohir off the Nord way... With drinks, music, and tales of his life!" she exclaims while holding out her fist, "You might even be challenged to a few brawls after you tell the tale of how you avenged Lohir!" she explains with a grin, obviously having planned to do such a thing herself.

Michael hums, beginning to like the idea of it the more he heard. Nord funerals sounded less like mourning and more like partying at a nightclub... A Viking nightclub. "I'll... Tell me when it's happening and I'll come-" he starts but is caught off guard when Ari laughs and wraps her arm around his neck in a headlock.

"You'll be coming with me then, because it's starting now!" she exclaims as she begins to drag him out of the inn.

"Ah! Valga! Let the girls know I'll be go-" he tries but isn't able to finish as Ari slams the inn doors behind them... Eh, she got the idea, probably?

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Ari dragged Michael over towards the graveyard, and he was finally able to see many gazebo-looking tents set up just outside of it. Long tables with many chairs were positioned under them, and they'd all been set up around a large pyre.

Under one of the tents Ari was dragging him towards, Michael could see Valdr, Niels, and many people he didn't know already having some drinks... Seemed like they planned to start getting shitfaced by having beer for breastfast...

Michael greeted them all, and the other guests tried to get him to tell them the story of how he slew the bear that got Lohir, but Valdr scolded them, saying that he wanted the story to be told once everyone was present, not before it.

Luckily for Michael and his lazy nature, he wasn't required to help out with anything else as it'd already been set up. So, instead, he just drank and made small talk with the other people present while they waited for the Priest of Arkay, Runil to arrive.

Soon enough, the High Elf Priest arrived, his long grey hair, sickly parlour with dark bags under his eyes making him look more like a necromancer than anything else. Indeed, Michael was more surprised that these Nords would allow a High Elf to oversee Lohir's funeral.

The man was greeted with great familiarity and respect however, Michael asked about it and Valdr explained that Runil had been with Falkreath for many years, and had helped them a great deal. He'd proven himself different from the other High Elves and Thalmor. Apparently, the people of Falkreath didn't care what race you were, more that you were an outsider and could bring strange traditions, practices, or other things that might alter or damage the Nords own traditions and way of life.

Michael understood it to a degree, despite not having a horse in any race concerning discrimination. It'd be like being wary of vampires moving into your neighbourhood because they have a high likelihood of being bloodthirsty monsters. The Nords weren't overreacting either from what Michael had heard, the Nobility in the Empire of Cyrodil had been continually trying to make changes to Skyrim and the way it operated... Some even attempted to have Jarls removed altogether and replaced with an Empire representative.

These attempts were quickly rebuffed obviously, as such drastic and swift changes would have Skyrim rebel in an instant, not just from the people, but from the rulers and Jarls who'd resist having their positions challenged. Still, the Nords felt their and their ancestor's history were on the precipice of being forgotten.

With this understanding, Michael promised himself to teach the girls about what he'd learned thus far to make sure they wouldn't annoy the locals... At least, not until they moved to the College of Winterhold.

Once Runil was here, he had a small group of the strongest people who were close to Lohir to follow him. Not five minutes later, they returned with a large wooden platform where a huge bear pelt rested, the one that Lohir's remains were stored within. For obvious reasons, it wouldn't be an open casket funereal...

The platform was lowered atop the unlit pyre, and many people made their way forward to lay down flowers and other things atop and next to the bear pelt, some laying down parchments with things written on them, some with delicate wooden sculptures and carvings. Most notably, Valdr stepped forward and laid down Lohir's broken bow, his quiver, and the arrows they had managed to find.