11 Cloud district

The morning sun beamed onto the amber plains of Whiterun hold. A sparkling burnt orange cast itself upon the land, highlighting a great wooden keep in the distantly enclosed city. Great fields of wheat filled the vision with a golden glimmer, as the soft wind slowly swayed each grain, as if caressing them into a lulling slumber.

The smell of the sweet summer breeze filled Lucius's nostrils while the subtle clanking of his armour bounded on his ears, obscuring the quiet steps beside him. The girl next him closely studied the golden claw as it reflected the amber hues from the East.

"Do you think the Nords had a theme? I mean, using claws as keys?" Ciri pondered to Lucius.

"Maybe. How would i know?" Lucius replied, gazing into a field.

"Hmm, because you seem to read every bit of lore you can find." Ciri replied, taking her eyes of the claw to briefly glance at Lucius.

"Uh-huh. Guess i couldn't find the book called 'keys of old dead people.' Sorry to disappoint~" Lucius smirked, tilting his head to her.

"Cheeky little shit." Ciri mumbled under her breath, going back to inspecting the claw.

Their journey to the City was cut short by a hulking mass stomping down over the path before disappearing towards a small farm.

The duo stared blankly ahead.

"You saw that too, right?" Ciri asked, staring into space.

"A half naked man the size of a house...Yeah, yeah i saw it." Lucius replied joining in Ciri's stare.

2 women and man flew past in pursuit of the rampaging giant.

"Should we, uhh, help?" Ciri asked.

"Um, sure." Lucius replied uncertainly.

Lucius and Ciri followed the trio to a small field enclosed by wooden fences.

A man and a woman fended off the behemoth as the other woman peppered it with arrows from a short distance.

"They seem to have it under control, do you think we should interrupt?" Ciri asked. "I know you didn't like it when i did it to you." Said Ciri, remembering their first encounter.

"I honestly don't know...Watch and make sure they don't die?" Lucius asked, raising a brow.

"Watch and make sure they don't die it is." Ciri nodded, taking a seat on a crumbling stone wall.

A final arrow between the giants eyes and it fell to the dirt with a loud thud.

"Oh, Ciri! They're finally done." Lucius got Ciri's attention, who was reading from the dusted destruction tome.

"Took them long enough." She grumbled.

A woman with wild auburn hair and face paint approached. Clad in cloth, iron and fur, with a wooden bow holstered on her back.

"Well, that's taken care of. No thanks to you two." She slightly mocked.

"Didn't look like you needed help. Even if it took you half an hour." Ciri replied, whispering towards the end.

"Certainly not. But, any true warrior would relish in the opportunity to take on a giant." Said the mystery woman.

"Define a 'true warrior', because i've met many who would call you coward for using a bow." Lucius replied with equal mocking. "If a 'true warrior' can't handle a giant by themselves, do they truly earn the right to call themselves warrior? Hmm?" Lucius grinned, ignoring the slap on the shoulder from Ciri.

"Flowery words won't help you in a fight, elf!" The woman snarled.

"Sure about that doggie?" Lucius teased.

The woman froze up for a moment before continuing. "If you think you're better than me and my shield brothers, take it up with Kodlak Whitemane."

"Is he part of the pack too? Ow!" Lucius held his head after Ciri smacked him with the book in her hand.

"Shut up Lucius. Shield brother?" Ciri asked the woman.

The woman's eye's lingered on Lucius a moment before looking to Ciri. "Outsiders eh? Never heard of the companions? We're an order, brothers and sisters in honour." She replied.

'And blood it seems.' Lucius noted, looking at the man cutting off the giants toe.

"Well, if you want to join. Come and see us up in Jorrvaskr." She said before turning around to leave, looking into Lucius's smiling face one last time as he waved.

Ciri turned to Lucius with a glare. "What the hell was that for?!" She asked with fire in her eyes.

"They're werewolves, Ciri. Didn't you catch on?" He explained.

"So what? you don't have to be an arse about it." She said lowering her glare.

"I think it's pretty justified when it's clear they worship a Daedric prince." Lucius said as he began to walk to the city again. "No one stays in control like that without being of pure blood."

"Daedric prince. You mentioned those before." Ciri said her thoughts aloud.

"How to explain~" Lucius hummed. "Extremely powerful entities that are evil, dark, or just annoying pricks...Except maybe Meridia and Azura." Lucius explained in a simplified manner.

"So evil gods?" Ciri asked.

"Sure, let's go with that and say the Aedra, or the divines, are the opposite." Lucius said as they walked past the city stables.

Ciri hummed and continued the climb up to the city gates.

"Halt! No one comes in or out. Jarl's orders." A guard in chainmail and yellow cloth said to the approaching pair.

"How come? We're here on important business with the court mage." Lucius lied with an easy smile.

"With news of dragons the city is closed." The guard stated.

"And we have news for the court mage. Stop wasting our time with such trivialities." Ciri piped in, quickly glancing at Lucius as she stepped forward.

"Oh, uhh. Why didn't you say so. Open the gate!" The guard called over his shoulder.

"Hmph." Ciri harrumphed, looking at Lucius.

He shook his head with a small smile before entering the city.

"You handled that better than i thought you would." Lucius said bumping Ciri with his hip.

"I grew up as a princess until i was eleven, guards are easy." Ciri replied.

"Wait, you're a princess?!" Lucius jumped.

"Not anymore, i said until i was eleven. The kingdom was sacked by an invading empire that just so happened to be my father's. It complicated." Ciri said.

"I can see. I'm getting a headache already." Lucius said, with flabbergasted face. "Are you okay telling me all this?" He softly asked her.

"Yeah its fine. It seems like a whole'nother life to me now, i'm fine Lucius." She smiled, reassuring him.

He was about to reply before a man in fine, yet pretentious clothing, interrupted them.

"Hello there, do you get to the cloud district very often. Oh, what am i saying of course you don't" The man said with a high head.

"What~?" Ciri drawled out, looking thoroughly confused.

"Oh, it took years, but I earned my way to the top. I own Chillfurrow Farm, you see. Very successful business. Obviously. I actually advise the Jarl on political matters. My input is invaluable, of course. But this is all probably a bit over your head." He continued, ignoring the baffled looks.

'Why do i have the urge to kill this man in the slowest, most painful way possible...' Both Ciri and Lucius thought.

"Are you important enough to have something better to do at midday? Like perhaps...Advising the Jarl?" Lucius asked 'sweetly'.

"Of course i do!" He seethed.

"Then be on your way." Ciri bluntly replied. Walking towards the towering keep, followed slowly by Lucius who kept staring at the man confused.

'What the fuck was that?' Lucius pondered.

"How are we going to approach the Jarl and his mage, Lucius?" Ciri raised an issue.

"Let my natural charisma do its thing, as always." Lucius said, pumping a fist to his chest. "No seriously, i'll just talk to the Jarl." He said after seeing Ciri's look.

Two great wooden gates to the keep slowly opened by guards as they approached. A long hall with a giant fire place stretched from the top of regal steps to a matching set of long dining tables, filled to the brim with food of all kinds.

A blond man, broad shouldered and tall, sat in a simple but powerful throne. Surrounded by a bickering steward and man of similar stature and look to the Jarl. A silent housecarl watched on, noticing the newcomers.

"Falkreath will see this as provocation and think we joined Ulfric, sire. We cannot." The steward spoke.

"We cannot just sit idle and let Riverwood be defenceless. They are our people, brother!"

"Hrongar is right, Proventus. I won't sit idle while a dragon burns and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a small troop to Riverwood at once." The Jarl announced.

"Yes, my Jarl. But It seems you have guests first." The housecarl replied, eyeing Lucius and Ciri.

"Jarl." Lucius nodded with respect. "We came in hopes of speaking to your court wizard in regards to an artefact we found, we think it may relate to the dragon." Lucius spoke formally.

"Did you now?" The Jarl said with a tone of suspicion, eyeing Lucius's ears.

'Here goes the Thalmor shit again.' Lucius cursed in his mind.

"He actually needs help with a project, perhaps that can be payment for his services?" The jarl said. "Come, i'll take you to him."

'Oh~ i judged too fast. Interesting.' Lucius thought with surprise.

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If you haven't noticed, Lucius detests most things Daedra related bar a select few...Clue to his past perhaps, who knows?

Soo, i will hold a vote regarding the Serana situation. There seems to be a varying mix...And i'd hate to have people drop because of a potentially biased decision by me.

Have a good one.

From your "patently evil" Author ;)