366 Mar-Care

Michael, Tiffania, Megumin, and Illococoo were standing before the gates of Markarth with complicated expressions. This was now the second time they'd visited here and the absence of Charlotte was clearly felt.

Unfortunately, they'd come here to do a job, so even if most of the people here, including the Jarl were a bunch of ass holes, they'd have to finish before leaving. The Silver-Bloods were arrogant scum, and any civilian who didn't hate foreigners was essentially just a slave that toiled in the mines to regain their freedom.

Michael shakes his head, "Let's just get this done so we can leave... And let's try to stay out of trouble." he glances to Tiffania, "No fights with any priests."

She lets out a sigh, "It wasn't a fight... And it was her fault for acting like a prostitute."

"Why are we here to begin with?" Megumin asks as the single tired-looking guard allows them into the city. Immediately you could tell that something was wrong, judging by how most of the city was waiting around the gates, as if ready to abandon the place at any moment.

"Some wackjob with a Dwemer artifact has taken control of the remaining Dwemer machines hidden under the city and taken the Jarl, along with Understone Keep." Michael shrugs, "We're lucky we can teleport or we might've missed it."

"Those robots can be controlled?" Megumin wonders aloud, "Can we take some for ourselves? I want one to ride around on, one of those spiders... Or maybe on the shoulders of one of those ball things...?"

Michael shrugs, "If we can get the artifact then sure, the Jarl'll probably want it but if we take it fair and square he'll have no leg to stand on." he says as the group walks around and finally reaches the entrance to the Keep build into the mountainside.

There was a large amount of Markarth guards already gathered, along with a few familiar faces. "Vilkas, Shakeesh, here to crack some metalheads together then?" he asks as he jovially clasps their hands.

Vilkas chuckles, "Of course, even if I find flesh and bones enemies more satisfying."

Michael looks to Shakeesh, "And you? Settling down well into the Companions?"

The Redguard nods, "I have. Not as well as you in that College of yours, it seems."

"And, how is your new member doing since I saw you all? She was already tough, so I'm scared to see how much she's learned in four months with you lot."

Vilkas and Shakeesh glance at one another unsurely at this, "Well..."

"Your lady friend isn't with us anymore, Michael..." Vilkas admits while shifting his helmet with a gauntletted hand.

...

"What do you mean? You mean she's dead or something?" he grouses, knowing that Saeko wouldn't be put down so easily. She was stupidly strong as a base human, and she'd only get stronger with the Warrior Birthsign and Magicka enhancing her body.

Shakeesh shakes his head, "Not dead... Just not with us. I might be partly at fault too, it saddens me to admit. We were in the Mead Hall plying each other with stories, and I spoke of my ancestors, the Yokudan and the Ansei, Sword-Singers..."

Vilkas chuckles, "Just telling stories eh? Looked to me like you buttering her up so that she'd sing with your sword..."

"Gross." Megumin says at the side.

The Redguard lets out a sigh, "She's a fine woman, can you blame me?... Anyway, I knew the story had caught her attention, as she spoke to me about it for the rest of the night. The next morning, she was gone, left Whiterun and caught the first Carriage to the border... I fear she's departed for Hammerfell..."

"Fear?" Michael inquires, surely Hammerfell couldn't be any more dangerous than Skyrim, right?

Shakeesh chews his inner cheek, and answers Michael's silent question, "The land is different from here, hostile but still livable... Usually. But with the Civil War and the elves attacking? She will find no help there, all foreigners are regarded with suspicion and resentment... Saeko possesses features of many races, the skin of Nords, eyes of a Dunmer, face of an Imperial... I don't fear her death, I fear what kind of death awaits her."

Michael wasn't really sure how to take that. If she did die, he'd be partially responsible for it... He had essentially dumped Saeko on the Companion's doorstep and ceased contact with her for the most part. Her antagonistic attitude toward Tiffania had started putting a strain on his relationship, Tiffania wasn't equipped to properly deal with it or the fear of him cheating on her with Saeko.

The duel between the two of them had been the straw that broke the camel's back. Tiffania had won definitively by simply freezing the swordswoman's legs with a Frost spell to end it. But this had the opposite effect that Tiff had wanted, causing Saeko to demand training with Michael almost constantly.

He'd attempted to sway her from being so... Blunt. But the woman was determined to get what she wanted, even if he rejected her a hundred times in one day.

So to hear that she'd ventured away from Skyrim in search of legendary swordsmen had made him feel pretty guilty, knowing that he wish to get stronger than Tiffania was part of the reason... Sure, he knew she was a sword fanatic anyway, but would she be in such danger if he'd done something differently? Or even left her back in her homeworld? He didn't know.

He is brought from his thoughts by Tiffania who slides her hand into his own while smiling at him, "I'm sure she's fine, Michael. She survived a dying world, she'll survive this..." her smile dips into a conflicted one, "I just hope she'll fall for someone else, one day..."

"Eh, I'm sure she'll get interested by someone in Hammerfell, from what I've heard, the whole country is filled with sword maniac-" he's interrupted as the large metal gates leading inside the Keep are thrown open by a massive metal figure...

"A fucking Centurion!? Really!? How did no one notice this giant thing under their house!?" Michael exclaims in exasperation.

Vilkas raises his shield, "We can talk later, for now let's deal with this and save the Jarl."