The fire crackled in the middle of the Bannered Mare as it had done every night since Ysolda first moved to White run, over eight years ago. For practically every night she sat by that fire, drinking Honningbrew mead and supping on the dish of the day - grilled venison or rabbit stew mostly. The usual buzz and hum of the other dinners and drinkers comforted her, but the monotony of her situation enraged her. She had diligently been working with the Khajiit, trying to trade with them and build up an impressive network of merchants throughout Skyrim, but to what end? The Jarl’s steward refused to grant her a new merchant’s license, reiterating that she was only able to inherit a merchant’s stall or buy an existing business. While Hulda, the owner of the Bannered Mare, was agreeable to sell, Ysolda was still unable to get the Khajiit to fully commit to selling with her. She lacked a mammoth tusk to seal the deal. There was a warrior who passed through town several weeks ago who promised to help her, but after the dragon attacked the Western watchtower, he was in the service of the Jarl and unlikely to retrieve the tusk. Numerous lay bouts in White run had promised to help her. Even the liar Belathor promised to give her his tusk if she would sleep with him, but much to his amusement and her loss, he had no recollection of the dealing in the pale grey hours of the morning after.
Taking the final mouthful of her mead, Ysolda decided right then and there to help herself.
The next morning, she set out from the town gates, heading west toward Fort Greymoor. She knew from her dealings with Sleeping Tree Sap that there was a lone Giant who lived in Sleeping Tree Cave. She figured it would be easier to have him in the cave, while she scoured the camp for mammoth skulls and hopefully tusks. Typically, giants lived outdoors in nomadic camps set up as they followed their herds, but this giant was different. She did not want to chance giving a giant free-range or running into more than one. She wasn’t even sure running into a 12-foot, grey humanoid was such a good idea, but she was desperate for a mammoth tusk and a lone giant, potentially accounted for in a cave seemed her best option.
By nightfall on the fourth day, Ysolda reached the outskirts of Sleeping Tree Camp. She was tired, her denim and leather dress dusty from the road, but she was also exhilarated at being faced with possibility of collecting the object that could be the answer to all her problems. Crouching behind a boulder, she observed the camp. She saw a raging bonfire surrounded by wooden posts with strange carvings and paint marks. She could smell the mammoth herd nearby, probably over the next hill. She noticed large bowls with cloth covers on rocks near the fire, and a large wooden chest with more markings. She did not see the giant.
Ysolda crept from her hiding spot after ten minutes and moved closer to the camp. Moving silently, but deftly she wandered past a stone block that also had more of the carvings and paint. The only illumination was the fire and the clear light of the half moons. She began to quickly look around at the ground covering, seeing numerous bones and skulls.
"The Mammoth Tusk" (1 of 6) [Giant/Ysolda, het]
Taking the final mouthful of her mead, Ysolda decided right then and there to help herself.
The next morning, she set out from the town gates, heading west toward Fort Greymoor. She knew from her dealings with Sleeping Tree Sap that there was a lone Giant who lived in Sleeping Tree Cave. She figured it would be easier to have him in the cave, while she scoured the camp for mammoth skulls and hopefully tusks. Typically, giants lived outdoors in nomadic camps set up as they followed their herds, but this giant was different. She did not want to chance giving a giant free-range or running into more than one. She wasn’t even sure running into a 12-foot, grey humanoid was such a good idea, but she was desperate for a mammoth tusk and a lone giant, potentially accounted for in a cave seemed her best option.
By nightfall on the fourth day, Ysolda reached the outskirts of Sleeping Tree Camp. She was tired, her denim and leather dress dusty from the road, but she was also exhilarated at being faced with possibility of collecting the object that could be the answer to all her problems. Crouching behind a boulder, she observed the camp. She saw a raging bonfire surrounded by wooden posts with strange carvings and paint marks. She could smell the mammoth herd nearby, probably over the next hill. She noticed large bowls with cloth covers on rocks near the fire, and a large wooden chest with more markings. She did not see the giant.
Ysolda crept from her hiding spot after ten minutes and moved closer to the camp. Moving silently, but deftly she wandered past a stone block that also had more of the carvings and paint. The only illumination was the fire and the clear light of the half moons. She began to quickly look around at the ground covering, seeing numerous bones and skulls.