“What sort of favour?” Ria said, guarded. “Shevawna, you're not trying to kill one of them, are you?”
“Of course not!” Shevawna protested, a bit wounded that everyone's first impulse was to assume it was something nefarious that involved killing Nords. But she could see she'd have to let Ria in on things. “Look, come with me and I'll tell you.”
So Ria went with her and the two of them shut themselves into Vilkas's now deserted room, Shevawna barring the door and beckoning her over for a whispered conversation.
“Look, you know about Eorlund's son, Thorald?” Shevawna said, hoping the gossip mill would have brought that to Ria's ears.
“Yeah,” Ria said, looking sympathetic. “I'm no Stormcloak but poor Eorlund, and poor Fralia too. They're good people, they don't deserve all this, and that pig Olfrid was being horrible to her about it. Why, what is this – Shevawna, no, please don't tell me you want to kill a Battle-Born.”
“No!” Shevawna cried. “I mean, no more than any other Nord – look. Fralia's convinced Thorald's still alive and the Battle-Borns know something. So help me find out if they actually do. Tell me about them.”
Ria looked thoughtful. “Well, there's Olfrid, he's head of the family, then there's his wife Bergritte, although I personally think they hate each other and she only married him for his money. Then there's their sons. Idolaf's the oldest, he's as obnoxious as his father. Technically a Legionnaire until an injury put him out of the fighting, or so they say. Married to Alfhild, they've got a son called Lars. Then there's his younger brother Jon. He never joined the war. Joined the Bards' College instead. A lover, not a fighter.” Then Ria grinned, leaning closer. “And he's going to be our way in.”
“Our way in?” Shevawna said dubiously.
“Our way in,” Ria confirmed, grinning. “What, you don't think you can tell me all this and leave me out of it, do you? Come on, get your nice clothes together. Tonight, we're going to the tavern.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The Bannered Mare was Whiterun's tavern, big and crowded and noisy and a bard singing some song about the war. Shevawna didn't care for the Empire much, but a chorus that went 'Down with Ulfric, the Killer of Kings'? She was all right with that.
“All Hail to Madanach, our mighty Reach-King,” Shevawna sang quietly to herself, feeling suddenly nostalgic for home and saddened over her lost kingdom. Skyrim realising what her people already knew was scant consolation.
Ria was thronging her way through the crowds, eyes looking for someone – and finding her. A silver-haired young woman sweeping the floor. Ria beckoned Shevawna after her and led her over.
“Olfina,” Ria said cheerfully. “Good to see you. This is Shevawna, she just joined us. This is Olfina. Eorlund and Fralia's daughter... and apparently not as anti-Battle-Born as the rest of her family.”
“Do tell,” Shevawna purred, although Ria had already told her about the steamy affair Olfina was having with Jon Battle-Born. An affair not likely to be approved of by either family.
Olfina's eyes widened as she stared at them both. “What is this?” she growled. “Is this... are you trying to blackmail me? Companions?? I am going straight to your Harbinger with this...”
Shevawna stepped in front of her, barring the way.
“Do you want to see your brother again or not?” Shevawna snapped. That did get her attention.
“My brother's dead,” Olfina growled. “Despite what my mother might think. Now leave me alone.”
“What if he's not?” Shevawna whispered. “What if your mother's right? Thorald might be alive and if he is... the Battle-Borns might know something. Help us find out, Olfina. We know Jon'd do anything you ask. Come on, this is your brother's life we're talking about here...”
“And if I don't, my parents hear rumours I'm going out with Jon?” Olfina said bitterly. Shevawna and Ria both widened their eyes.
Re: Blood (Magic)'s Honour 4.3
“Of course not!” Shevawna protested, a bit wounded that everyone's first impulse was to assume it was something nefarious that involved killing Nords. But she could see she'd have to let Ria in on things. “Look, come with me and I'll tell you.”
So Ria went with her and the two of them shut themselves into Vilkas's now deserted room, Shevawna barring the door and beckoning her over for a whispered conversation.
“Look, you know about Eorlund's son, Thorald?” Shevawna said, hoping the gossip mill would have brought that to Ria's ears.
“Yeah,” Ria said, looking sympathetic. “I'm no Stormcloak but poor Eorlund, and poor Fralia too. They're good people, they don't deserve all this, and that pig Olfrid was being horrible to her about it. Why, what is this – Shevawna, no, please don't tell me you want to kill a Battle-Born.”
“No!” Shevawna cried. “I mean, no more than any other Nord – look. Fralia's convinced Thorald's still alive and the Battle-Borns know something. So help me find out if they actually do. Tell me about them.”
Ria looked thoughtful. “Well, there's Olfrid, he's head of the family, then there's his wife Bergritte, although I personally think they hate each other and she only married him for his money. Then there's their sons. Idolaf's the oldest, he's as obnoxious as his father. Technically a Legionnaire until an injury put him out of the fighting, or so they say. Married to Alfhild, they've got a son called Lars. Then there's his younger brother Jon. He never joined the war. Joined the Bards' College instead. A lover, not a fighter.” Then Ria grinned, leaning closer. “And he's going to be our way in.”
“Our way in?” Shevawna said dubiously.
“Our way in,” Ria confirmed, grinning. “What, you don't think you can tell me all this and leave me out of it, do you? Come on, get your nice clothes together. Tonight, we're going to the tavern.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The Bannered Mare was Whiterun's tavern, big and crowded and noisy and a bard singing some song about the war. Shevawna didn't care for the Empire much, but a chorus that went 'Down with Ulfric, the Killer of Kings'? She was all right with that.
“All Hail to Madanach, our mighty Reach-King,” Shevawna sang quietly to herself, feeling suddenly nostalgic for home and saddened over her lost kingdom. Skyrim realising what her people already knew was scant consolation.
Ria was thronging her way through the crowds, eyes looking for someone – and finding her. A silver-haired young woman sweeping the floor. Ria beckoned Shevawna after her and led her over.
“Olfina,” Ria said cheerfully. “Good to see you. This is Shevawna, she just joined us. This is Olfina. Eorlund and Fralia's daughter... and apparently not as anti-Battle-Born as the rest of her family.”
“Do tell,” Shevawna purred, although Ria had already told her about the steamy affair Olfina was having with Jon Battle-Born. An affair not likely to be approved of by either family.
Olfina's eyes widened as she stared at them both. “What is this?” she growled. “Is this... are you trying to blackmail me? Companions?? I am going straight to your Harbinger with this...”
Shevawna stepped in front of her, barring the way.
“Do you want to see your brother again or not?” Shevawna snapped. That did get her attention.
“My brother's dead,” Olfina growled. “Despite what my mother might think. Now leave me alone.”
“What if he's not?” Shevawna whispered. “What if your mother's right? Thorald might be alive and if he is... the Battle-Borns might know something. Help us find out, Olfina. We know Jon'd do anything you ask. Come on, this is your brother's life we're talking about here...”
“And if I don't, my parents hear rumours I'm going out with Jon?” Olfina said bitterly. Shevawna and Ria both widened their eyes.
“Us? Tell Eorlund that? It'd break his heart!” Ria said, feigning shock.
“And then he'd go after Jon with a great big axe,” Shevawna said cheerfully. “Which would be simply awful.”