19 Growing the Crew V

Reluctantly packing up camp, we begin making our way towards Bannermist Tower.

Once in our sights, I pull out my bow and instruct the others to do the same as we line up our targets.

Swish, swish, swish, thump, as four arrows are loosed and find their marks. Quickly dispatching the bandits who made this place their camp.

Once taken care of, I instruct the others to begin gathering the loot while I try and find that satchel of the girl's.

"Hold on, she found something… Frrew, just some piece of junk." She sighs.

"I don't care, take it anyways!" I shout down from further up the tower, before finding a satchel with an unusual ring, a note, some bread, and a handful of gold, quickly reading the note it says…

Dear M'rissi,

I'm afraid it's my only chance to pass you a message. I've packed the satchel in a great hurry. I wish I could've gathered everything we've talked of.

Here is some money - everything I was able to get. The only weapon I could find was this knife. It's better than nothing.

Run. Never trust anyone of our kin.

One more thing: I give you this ring. For you to always remember who you are.

After finishing the note, M'rissi walks in and asks, "Well? What did the note say? Don't keep her waiting and hurry, would you?"

I smirk before saying, "It says your name is Fluffy."

"What?! Give her that, there is no way her name is that!" M'rissi exclaims snatching the note from my hands, before saying, "See! Her name is M'rissi, not Fluffy! It is you who is the Fluffy trickster!"

Causing me to chuckle as she scowls, before whispering, dejectedly "But… She still does not remember."

"There was also a ring there. Maybe it has a clue?" I suggest pulling out the ring.

"A ring?! Give it to her!" M'rissi exclaims before snatching it from my hands, quickly studying it, "This… She remembers it belongs to her. And that it's special. Somehow?" She says staring deeply into the blue stone which comprises its centerpiece.

"Anything else?" I ask.

"No, nothing. She gives up. The ring gives no hint, and she cannot remember." She sadly says before lowering her head, before perking up and saying, "But she knows her name now! M'rissi!"

"And a beautiful name it is, for an equally beautiful girl," I say with a smile and a wink.

"Mew! What has she told you about that flattery? It gets you nyathing!" She flusteredly exclaims with a deep blush and a swooshing tail, before mumbling faintly under her breath, "But… It is nice of you to notice."

Beginning to rush away from the tower I quickly grab M'rissi's hand to stop her, "Hold on, I'm not ready to give up on that ring yet. We need to find someone to make it talk."

"Talking from a ring? Now she knows you have gone insanely crazy." M'rissi exclaims incredulously.

"As if that was in question," I say with a wink before continuing, "It's a figure of speech. A jeweler might find something we missed."

"Oh! She understands! Then quick, let's find a jeweler so she can remember about herself!" M'rissi exclaims joyfully pulling me along by my hand before I ask, "And where are you going?"

Causing her to pause and think, "She… Does not know…" before looking down and realizing we are still holding hands before quickly releasing her grip and stammering, "S-she thinks you s-should lead now!"

"Alright," I knowingly smirk before saying, "I think we should go and speak with Albret, but first we need to stop by Falkreath to turn in this quest."

"She also thinks that is a good idea," M'rissi agrees after having a chance to become less flustered.

And with that we carry on towards Falkreath, this time with no random encounters to disrupt our journey. And once entering the town I begin to do the standard assistance quests, harvesting crops, delivering ashes, and breaking into Lod's house to prove to Denier he is definitely a spy. After quickly doing that I head into the Jarl's hall.

"Yes? What is it that you want?" Siddgeir calls down to me from his seat of power.

"I've killed the leader of Bannermist Tower," I say with a nod.

"Teach them to stop paying me." Siddgeir smirks, "Here you deserve a reward for your service." He says tossing me a sack of 750 gold, "You know what? I like you. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty. I hereby grant you permission to purchase property in Falkreath hold. Talk to my steward if you're interested." He says waving to his steward.

"Thank you, is there anything else you need, my Jarl?" I ask nearly choking on calling him my Jarl.

"There is room in my court for a new Thane. It's an honorary title, mainly, but there are a few perks someone like you could make use of." Siddgeir explains.

"Well, I have already helped your people," I reply.

"Then by my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Falkreath. Congratulations. I grant you this weapon from my armory to serve as your badge of office." Siddgeir says before waving me away.

"Thank you, I shall take my leave," I say before turning to speak with Rayya. A Redguard woman in the corner of the hall clad in steel armor.

"Greetings my Thane," Rayya says.

"Welcome into my service, follow me," I say before leaving the hall. And beginning the trek back to Riverwood. Which is also fairly uneventful aside from Crimson chewing on my ear while I sleep.

Entering the Sleeping Giant Inn I plop down next to Albret.