Yes, very weird. Strange. What is wrong with him? Nisha could only stare at Tucker as he complimented her first on her life sucking magic and then decided to scold the merchant, the rather terrified one who had just witnessed a vampire, for not being grateful. Perhaps he hadn't read the memo which mentioned that vampires were supposed to be feared and hunted? Or perhaps he was just... different?

Weird, Nisha told herself before sighing audibly. "It's fine, Tucker, leave him be." She looked instead to the merchant, smiling so that her sharper than normal incisors could be seen. "You better bugger off now. Who knows how many more bandits are hidden around these parts. Or worse yet... dragons." The last bit was mentioned as a rather audible whisper, where she had leaned dangerously close to the merchant.

If her being a vampire had him terrified, that last action of hers was almost as if he was struck with a soul stealing weapon. Without a word, Nisha smacked the horse's haunch, causing it, the wagon, and the merchant inside to lurch forward before speeding away in a direction that was certainly not Whiterun or any of the farms surrounding it.

"I've learned never to expect gratitude." Nisha looked to Tucker before shrugging, tugging her hood a little further so that she wasn't exposed to the sun. "Or else you'll end up waiting forever. Or I would anyway. Don't know about you. Humans are not bloodsuckers like vampires."

With that said and her secret finally out of her own mouth, she motions toward the city. "Might as well continue the rest of the way there... but first." The hint of a grin could be seen on her shadowed face as she gestured towards the now dead bandits. "How about we search these fellows?"​
 
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"Some people aren't grateful regardless." Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "Those two words can choke a person. Though, in that guy's defense, he was probably too stunned." He snickered.

The Merchant looked as though he'd bitten his tongue off. He didn't even squeeze out a word when Nisha sent him and his caravan off. The look on his face was devoid of intelligence, even. But he kept that comment to himself, a telling smirk on his face.

"He did just have his life saved by a well-aimed vampire and a very, very mighty Nord. I'd be pretty stunned too. We must have looked incredible, the way we came running down that hill!" It took a lot to stun or scare him, which is part of why he wasn't too shocked upon realizing that Nisha was a vampire.

He didn't think that, just because she was a vampire, she was something to be feared or killed. If anything, it was because she was really good with a bow that he would be afraid of her, not that he was. If she wanted to kill him, she would have tried a long time ago.

"Right, sure. Let's see what they've got on em'." Tucker didn't usually loot bodies, but to the victor goes the spoils. "If these bandits were any good, they've probably got a nice bit of gold on em'...so probably not much." He snickered again, the smirk on his face ever persistent.

He crouched down to check the body of the bandit he had killed. Aside from the greatsword, he didn't find much. "Not much here. Just a few gold coins and, of course, a few lockpicks." He shook his head, tutting as he did.​
 
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Nisha let out a small sigh. "I should have known they'd have only so little. No matter though, anything helps in times like these." She dumped Tucker's findings in her satchel and then looked to the sword. "That's a pretty nice blade- we might be able to sell it, unless you want to keep it for yourself."

Leaving that decision up to him, she started forward once more. Whiterun had always been a nice stop over town, what with the inn and the tavern. Once Tucker had talked to the Jarl, Nisha hoped they would be able to rest for the night. Yes she was a vampire and night was when she was her strongest, but all this daytime travelling was having a toll on her, no matter how much it irked her.

Passing though the grassy fields they finally hit the cobbled road, catching sight of the farms that led the way up to the Whiterun stables. Nisha paused a slight moment, looking to the brown mare enviously, wishing she had enough coin to buy a horse... well two. Though it'd have to be a large and strong horse to carry him...

Looking away from the stables, her sharp ears caught the sound of a rather strange accent. Looking in that direction, she saw a few tents with a small group of khajiit. "Huh... I've seen them before," she muttered. "They travel a lot so hard to pin down... but they tend to have very nice things."

Of course... Khajiit has wares, if you have coin... which we don't really.

Nisha looked away from the small group, focusing on their true task. Reaching the gates of Whiterun was mere minutes with their industrious strides.

However, it seemed the guard wasn't pleased to see them.

"Halt! The city is closed on account of news about dragons. Unless it's something official, you can't enter!"
 
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"Not my style. But selling it is a good idea. Should be worth a few gold coins, maybe twenty or so." While he was sure he could do some serious damage with the two-handed weapon, mostly thanks to his size and strength, he much preferred the utility and protection of a longsword and shield. Should he need to block an incoming arrow, it was as simple as raising the shield. The longsword was fast and he could easily use it with one or, should he want some extra power, two hands.

He grabbed the two-handed sword and followed after Nisha, at first lazily dragging the weapon along the ground, but eventually leaning the weapon against his shoulder. "Huh..." He murmured when Nisha pointed out the Khajit. "If only we had more gold. Then I could get out of this armor." He chuckled, but the expression on his face was unnecessarily grim. He really hated this armor.

When they reached the city gates and the guard rebuffed them, Tucker couldn't help but prevent the frown on his face. Seems the news of the dragon had preceded the messengers. No matter, it could just mean that Whiterun would be able to assist Riverwood faster than otherwise, so long as all the extra security didn't delay the deliverance of their message. So far, it seemed like that was exactly what it was going to do, and that was irritating.

"We are here on official business! We've come to speak with Jarl Balgruuf on behalf of Riverwood." The Nord spoke up, a shred of annoyance present in his tone. "Riverwood is in need of aid. Their defenses are...lacking, and should the dragon choose to attack the town, they'll never be able to properly defend themselves alone."​
 
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The guard took note of both the news as well as the annoyance in Tucker's voice; with his helmet on it was hard to figure out which was what had him easily subdued. Thankfully, however, he conceded to let them in. The news from Helgen had reached them but no one had been sure- Riverwood actually sending someone with the same news gave weight to what may have just seemed flying tall tales.

"Dragons in Skyrim... Talos protect us all..." Continuing to mutter under his breath, he opened the door wide enough for the two to enter without difficulty, quickly closing it behind them once they were through.

"That's the place to sell the great-sword," Nisha commented, nodding in the direction of the loud clanging sound that met them. A woman was sitting by her forge, working hard as she hammered down on a red hot sword. To the side of the forge was a shop, the sign hanging from the door bearing the word 'Warmaiden's'. "Or... up in the Wind District..." She paused and looked at Tucker. "Heh. I can clearly imagine you enjoying yourself in Jorrvaskr." With the way he fought and enjoyed his food, she wondered if he might've actually been part of them, or at least thought of it.

"Anyhow, as you probably know, Skyforge is up there... I prefer heading to Warmaiden's." She didn't explain her reasons, though they were valid enough to her.

As they continued through the Plains district, children ran past them, playing with one another. Further in where different stalls, each selling different produce and commodities. Beyond them were the stairs that lead up to the Wind District, the burnt and leafless Gildergreen still an impressive sight that looked over the shops and the temple of Kynareth.​
 
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"I think I would enjoy myself there. The Companions know how to have a good time." Tucker was one for loyalty, brotherhood, battle, and food, and the companions were all about that stuff. If he were to join he could imagine himself leaving his home in Markarth to stay in the Mead Hall, at least in theory. He hadn't seen anything of the Companions in a long time and, for all he knew, they could have changed, especially in these times. "But, unfortunately for them, I'm not here to party with them right now. We got a Jarl to speak to and then a sword to sell!"

The sight of the children playing brought a grin to his face. He'd always liked kids, even the bratty ones. It wasn't likely you'd see a child playing this way in Markarth. The city was much too dangerous for them nowadays, what with the state of the mines...it wasn't safe for them, no matter what the guards said. It only took one adventurous kid to lead the rest somewhere terrible...

When they entered the Wind District, Tucker took the time to admire not only the Gildergreen tree but the stone stairs that led to what could only be the Jarl's palace distracted him. A small whistle escaped his lips. "Nice place...must be annoying to have to walk up those stairs though. If he ever leaves the palace. Let's go meet this guy."

He started towards and up the stairs, trying his best to ignore the Preacher shouting his lungs out about Talos and the state of Skyrim, praising the Stormcloaks and condemning the Empire. He swore he could feel the Preacher's eyes following him, and if they weren't, they were probably following Nisha. Every town had to have someone like him, whether it be a preacher or an urchin.​
 
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"Huh..." Nisha couldn't help but pause even though Tucker carried on. The preacher was just so loud and blatant in his beliefs. Whiterun was known for being neutral in the whole civil war, but even so, Nisha hardly found it fair that she had been forced to the block while this man was openly preaching. She looked up at the statue of Talos and then to the alter before shrugging, shaking her head and following after Tucker.

"It's amazing the man's still free," she muttered to the Nord, pulling her hood closer to herself as they left the shelter of walls and headed up into the Cloud's district. A short walk across the bridge and they had reached the door of the famous longhouse of which it was said was where Olaf One-Eye imprisoned the dragon Numinex. Up close it seemed even grander than it did from the mountain by the riverside. And of course, there was yet another guard standing before the doors.

"You must be the ones from Riverwood." Nisha looked a little surprised at his words, but they were quickly explained. "The guard at the gates just sent word that you were coming. Please, enter."

The door was opened and the two ushered into a grand open hall. Stairs led up into a huge dining area, and beyond was the throne upon which sat Balgruuf the Greater. "That's where you need to go," Nisha commented. Any further talk was given no chance, however, as an armoured Dunmer women strode there way, a frown on her face.

"Who are you to enter the Jarl's keep without permission?" she demanded. "Explain yourselves this instance!"​
 
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"Just goes to show how neutral Whiterun really is." Not only was he not in prison, but it seemed like nearly everyone was ignoring or even actively avoiding the man. It was a testament to the state of Whiterun, really. The city had long been caught in a game of tug-of-war between the Stormcloaks and Empire, but Balgruuf refused to pick a side.

When the duo entered the Grand Hall, Tucker nearly let out another whistle. The inside was just as nice as the outside, but, and maybe he was being biased, Markarth's Jarl's house looked better. Then again, so did the entire city compared to Whiterun. He had a smart remark to make about the dining hall, but the armored woman prevented him from making it, possibly doing him a favor.

"We were ushered in by the guards," He explained, pointing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the hall doors. "We have news from Helgen, it's about the dragon attack." He had started to mention Riverwood first, but then he might have to go through a bunch of diplomacies he was neither suited nor had the patience for.

The guard outside of Whiterun mentioned dragons right away, so mentioning Helgen would more than likely produce a faster result. Much to Tucker's delight, his decision was right. "Well, that explains why the guards let you in. Come on then, the Jarl will want to speak to you personally." The woman turned away from them, walking briskly up the stairs.

Tucker looked to Nisha for a moment, a small smirk on his lips. "Ladies first." He motioned to the stairs with a wave of his hand. "I hope this whole trip turns out to be fruitful." If Whiterun hadn't the guards to spare, then Riverwood was damned.​
 
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Nisha was tempted to give Tucker a rude look to counter the smirk on his lips, but decided it was probably best to remain dignified in front of the house carl. It had been ages since she had entered Dragonsreach. In fact, the last time she had been here, she'd merely been a child...

"Solitude,Windhelm, Winterhold, Dawnstar- we have been there already." Loras of Winterhold stood tall, black hood pushed back revealing his light blond hair, blue eyes piercing as they stared at the jarl. "Who else can I turn to now but Whiterun?"

"The affairs of Haafingar are not mine to delve and interfere in," was the reply. "Nor should they be your affairs. You are from Winterhold. Involving yourself in troubles with other holds will not bode well for you."

Nisha looked up at her father, noting the telltale sign of his patience fading by the hardness of his eyes. "Do you think the Volkihar vampires will stop in Solitude? No! They are already moving, taking hold of Morthal, and from there it will not be long before they spread far, including Whiterun." The hard look became earnest. "I know who their leader is. I just need help. We can stop these vampires from spreading-"

"Why would you, a vampire yourself, care about the spread of your kind?" The jarl looked rather dubious. "Perhaps you simply wish to take control of Castle Volkihar once its Lord is dead."

Loras remained silent before turning around. "Come Nisha. It seems our journey was useless after all."


"The jarl is waiting!" Nisha jerked a little, broken out of her thoughts by Ireleth's sharp voice.

"Of course," she muttered darkly, striding forward. "Chivalry aside, Tucker, you should go first. It's you they expect to talk to."

And they don't really listen to vampires here anyway.
 
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"Right, right." Tucker nodded his head, heading up the stairs. The change in Nisha's tone was surprising, it left him curious and maybe even a little worried. Perhaps her last visit to Whiterun hadn't gone so well, or maybe the Jarl wasn't as decent as he was made out to be? Either way, he couldn't poke her about it now, they were about to speak to the Jarl himself.

It was easy enough to make out who the Jarl was. The blonde Nord sitting on the throne across the room with a look of exhaustion, stress, and annoyance on his face stared directly at Tucker and Nisha, ignoring the man speaking to him.

Irileth reached him first, leaning over to whisper into his ear, no doubt informing him of why Tucker and Nisha were there. "So. You were at Helgen?" He asked as soon as Irileth pulled away from his ear. "You saw this dragon with your own eyes?"

Tucker nodded his head in response, clearing his throat before he spoke. "We saw it alright. We were almost crushed and burned by the beast, like most of the Imperial guards who stayed to fight or escort civilians. The dragon destroyed Helgen, and last we saw, it looked like it was heading this way."

"By Ysmir..." Balgruuf's exhausted expression turned into one of worry. "Irileth was right!" He exclaimed, looking to his Housecarl. "Send troops to Riverwood right away!"

Irileth wasted no time in completing that order, walking away with long and quick strides, yelling to one of the guards to accompany her. The man speaking to Balgruuf before spoke up quickly, "My lord, if you send those troops, Falkreath could look at it as provo-"

"Enough! I will not stand idly by while a dragon slaughters my people!" Jarl Balgruuf barked, quieting the man immediately. He took a deep breath as he turned his attention back to Tucker and Nisha. "Thank you, both of you. You've done Whiterun a great service...and I will need to ask you to do it one more."

"It should be easy enough for ones to have survived the first dragon attack in ages. Go see my court wizard, Farengar." He motioned to the room on his left. "He's been researching all matters dragon, now more than ever."

Tucker raised an eyebrow, surprised by the request. Truth be told, they didn't seem as surprised as he thought. Apparently, they were preparing somewhat, just in case the rumors of a dragon proved to be true. Smart. "Yeah, we'll speak to him." He looked to Nisha as he started towards the room, wondering if she was interested in fulfilling this request.​
 
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Nisha blinked at the jarl and then at Tucker. What? Instead of paying them for their troubles, he'd simply sent them off on another potential quest. She gritted her teeth but followed after Tucker anyway. She wasn't sure what the court wizard would know, but her experience with them was that they dabbled in many things and often had knowledge others weren't privy to.

The wizard's room wasn't too far away, and as the two entered, he looked up at them, a sallow and think face peering from beneath the hood of his robe. "No need to introduce yourselves," he said crisply. "I could hear well enough what was being said from here. So, the jarl thinks you can be useful, hm?"

Nisha could hear the smirk in the man's voice as he continued to speak. "Very well then. I've been researching dragons, and there's something else I need for my research, which I'd like you to collect. It will be dangerous though, and it's not completely clear whether what I need is actually there."

"Where's 'there'?" Nisha asked, her expression showing she was a little annoyed by all the mystery.

The wizard chuckled. "Looks like you don't like to waste time. Good." He walked over to the large map adorning the room and tapped his finger against it. "Here. I heard there's a stone table here. A Dragonstone... apparently having a map of where the dragons are buried."

"Wait that's... Bleak Falls Barrow." Nisha looked to Tucker, a humourless laugh leaving her lips. "Heh. Looks like two birds with one stone."

The wizard blinked, unsure of what Nisha spoke of, but decided it was probably nonsense anyway. "With the news you bring, it's even more essential to find the stone tablet. Unless you have any questions, time is being wasted. The jarl isn't a patient person."​
 
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"Wow, how convenient." Tucker couldn't help the grin that crept onto his face as he looked to Nisha. They could knock out this favor for the Jarl and retrieve the golden claw for the Riverwood shopkeeper in one go. Coming to Whiterun was proving to be a blessing in more than one way.

"Alright, we won't keep his lordship waiting," Tucker told the man, waving his hand flippantly. As far as he was concerned, Balgruuf was lucky that lives were at stake and the golden claw just happened to be there, otherwise, the Jarl would be on his time, and Tucker time was a leisurely time. Five minutes more could mean one hour, depending on his mood. "Don't have any questions, just look for a rock with a map on it. Seems simple enough."

He turned to leave the wizard's room. "We'll just need some time to recollect ourselves. We only got here from Riverwood." The day after being attacked by a dragon at that. "We walked the whole way, so some rest and recuperation are in order. Maybe replenish some supplies as well." They had to sell the sword he was lugging around, and he was sure Nisha could use some extra arrows.

With that, He slipped outside of the room, though he looked to Nisha before going too far. "Think we got enough gold to stay at an Inn and get some supplies?" He didn't know how much they had, but between her buying his shield and staying at the Inn in Riverwood the night before, he was sure that they were strapped for gold.

"If not...I was thinking we could just rough it out in the wild for a night." That would save them gold coins and, best of all, it would be fun. Whiterun's borders were largely safe, so long as you didn't go too far west, anyway. It was mostly surrounded by farmland. "A little bit of camping never hurt anyone."​
 
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"Let me check," Nisha muttered, following after Tucker, though she paused right outside the doorway to pull out the coin pouch from the satchel. Inside was the sad amount of a couple of gold coins. Stuffing the pouch back into the satchel, she looked to Tucker and shook her head.

"Sounds like we'll have to go camping indeed." She was still a little sour they hadn't been paid, but there was no crying about it. They'd get their rest outside, which they were already used to from before. "I'm sure there's many places around here that'll be adequate to camp in. We'd just have to make sure to keep away from the giant camp... I think there's one nearby.

"First though... Warmaiden's?" She glanced at the great sword before starting for Dragonreach's exit. "Might as well make whatever coin we need on the way out."

Outside the sky was already beginning to darken, the sun beginning its descend, a testament to how long they had been travelling. She didn't know about Tucker, but she was weary for some rest; travelling throughout sun hours had an extra strain on her.

"Should be game to hunt there as well," she said as she started down the steps to the Wind's district. The preacher was still present, but by now his voice was ragged and hoarse. "Huh." Despite everything, she felt a little bad for the man. "He could use some water..."​
 
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"Giants...heh...they think they're bigger than me..." Tucker muttered dryly, rolling his eyes. Well they were physically, sure. But he had heart! "Definitely don't want to get stepped on while sleeping. That'd be a sad way to go." The idea was funny despite how terrifying it was. Thankfully he'd never heard of that happening to anyone. Most people stepped on were well awake when it happened.

"There should be plenty of game around the city walls. And, if we want to add a little something, some potatoes and the like, there are plenty of crops around too." He grinned. He wasn't a thief, but sneaking some potatoes and cabbage was not above him. Roasted potatoes and venison sounded pretty good about now, actually.

"Yeah, let's sell the sword at Warmaidens first." He nodded his head in agreement. He also wanted to see what goods they had to sell. They couldn't afford it now, sure. But they could always buy something the next time they were in Whiterun.

Perhaps they'd stumble upon a nice amount of gold in Bleak Falls. The tomb would likely be filled with the remains of people who wanted to be buried with their gold. It was silly to Tucker, but hey, he wasn't rich. It wasn't like he had any gold to take with him to the grave.

He looked to the preacher after Nisha's comment, tutting as he nodded his head. "Yeah, bet his throat is dry. He's been going the whole time we were in the Jarl's place, and who knows how long before we even showed up." It was pretty impressive that he was still going. It said a lot about both his spirit and his body.​
 
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"Mhm..." Nisha continued down the stairs and was almost on the other side of the burnt Gildergreen before stopping. "You go on ahead, Tucker. I'll just be a little bit." With that said, she turned around and walked over to the preacher, or rather behind him before the small alter that sat before the large statue of Talos. A little blessing never hurt someone, especially when they were headed someplace she had never been before.

"You really should be careful," she said to the preacher when she stood back up and moved away from the statue to look at the man instead. As she did, she reached at her belt for her waterskin and held it out for him. "Besides the sore throat... you should know there are Thalmor spies everywhere."

The preacher seemed grateful as he took the water skin and pressed it to his lips gulping the contents down. "Keep it," Nisha told him, figuring it might help him out in the future.

"Thank you, child," he replied. "I appreciate the gesture. As for your warning, Talos will protect me, and if I should be found out and killed, then Sovngarde will be all the closer to me." His eyes had the fervent look she had seen in many believers eyes, regardless of whom or what they believed in.

"Well alright then." Nisha gave him a smile and nod. "It's admirable of you to be staunch on your beliefs. I'll leave you in peace now."

A farewell later, she once again started back on her way, following the stairs down into the Plains District, catching up with Tucker. "Sorry for the delay... we should probably hurry before the blacksmith's closed for the day."​
 
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"It's no problem." Tucker gave her a small nod. He hadn't walked too far before Nisha returned, partially because his curiosity slowed him down so he could get a glance at what she was going to do. It was nosy of him, yes, but he knew so little about her he felt his curiosity deserved some satiation.

"You were so sweet, the way you offered that poor man some water." He told her, a smirk on his face as he teased her. "It shows how much you truly care...and the smile you gave him was beautiful! What do I have to do to get a smile like that?" The best fun was fun you could share with someone, but a little bit of fun at someone else's expense was pretty good too.

Tucker's snickering persisted as they approached Warmaiden's. He supposed he shouldn't tease her too much, she was carrying the gold after all. "While we're here we should get you a couple of arrows. If we're gonna live off the land for the night, your bow will be the best thing we have for hunting."

Despite the setting sun, the shop owner was still outside, working away at the grindstone as she sharpened a sword she had been crafting. The shop wasn't closed, but it was well on its way. As they approached her, she looked up, taking notice of them despite the sounds of the metal as the stone ground against it.​
 
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Nisha's face turned a hint of red, but she managed to keep her neutral expression, save the twitch in her eye that was trying not to glare at the Nordish man. "Maybe someday, maybe never," was her brisk reply. Thankfully the conversation changed to arrows, which she could wholeheartedly agree with. "Iron for now." She would have preferred steel arrows, but being frugal was part of who she was.​
"Good evening," the woman called, voice tired yet still retained cheerfulness. "Welcome to Warmaiden's, I'm Adrianne." She looked from Nisha to Tucker. "You're just in time- the shop will be closing soon." She motioned towards the Warmaiden's door. "My husband's inside, he takes care of the buying and selling while I work by the forge."​
"That's a change of pace," Nisha commented. "Normally you'd have the man at the forge and the woman inside."​
"Aye, but working the smithy's been something I've loved since childhood." Adrienne smiled, looking proud of herself. "I won't say I'm better than the Skyforge, but I use the best material I can find, I put my heart and soul into my creations."​
"We'll be sure to check them then," Nisha replied, returning the woman's smile with one of her own. " Giving the woman a nod, she turned to the door, pushing it open and heading inside.​
 
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Tucker followed Nisha into the building. The shop had a cozy feeling to it, likely because it was just as much a home as it was a weapons store. There was a small table in the corner, a plate with food and a cup filled with drink waiting. It was likely for Adrianne. "Greetings." The man behind the counter gave both of them a short nod. "The name is Ulfberth. Welcome to Warmaiden's."

"Tucker." He returned the introduction, approaching the man to offer a handshake. The two clasped hands firmly, shaking hands. He glanced over Ulfberth's shoulder to observe the swords, axes, daggers and more hanging from his wall. "Those look nice and sharp. Your wife does good work. "

"She works the forge, I work the customers." He crossed his arms, obviously proud that his wife had gotten some recognition. While Skyforge got to coast easy off the reputation of The Companions, Warmaiden's had the advantage of being a two-person operation. "What can I do you for? Lookin' to buy or sell?"

"Both," Tucker replied, removing the greatsword from his back. He handed the weapon to Ulfberth, who took it and began examining it. "Got this off some bandits attacking a traveling merchant." He grunted. "Figured since they wouldn't need it anymore we might as well take it, but it's not my style, and it's definitely not hers. You can probably tell by the bow, which is also why we're buying. She needs more arrows."

"Huh...shame. Your big enough that you could use it better than most." Ulfberth spoke, his eyes pouring over the sword. He traced his fingers along the metal, observing for any nicks or dents in the blade. "I'll give you 50 gold pieces." He told them. "Bandits put some work in with this thing, but it's not too bad. As for the arrows...what say...3 gold pieces each?"

It sounded good to Tucker, especially the price for the sword, but he wasn't the treasurer here. He looked to Nisha for confirmation. She held the gold, and she likely knew the worth of arrows more than he did.​
 
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Fifty septim sounded good for the sword. 3 septims an arrow though? Last she remembered she had bought steel arrows for two septims each. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the man, her eyes boring into his for the smallest moment before she looked behind him. There stood a quiver of orcish arrows.

"Fair enough," she said before nodding towards those very arrows. "Fifteen of those, what do you say?" They'd have barely five gold left, but it would at least teach him a lesson not to think Nisha was a simple dunderhead who didn't know how much the cost of weapons normally was.

It didn't take long before the deal was made. A smile lingered on Nisha's face as they exited Whiterun, the guards shutting the gates behind them for the night. The lampposts that dotted the side of the cobbled road were now lit, lighting the path for travellers, though at this time there were very few. As they passed by the stables, Nisha looked back at the Khajiit caravan. It was a shame she had so little gold now- it would have been nice to at least see what they had.

Walking through the fields once more, she looked about, eyes now red and clearly marking her a vampire. As there was no one around and Tucker clearly wasn't worried about her being a vampire, Nisha felt no need to hide how she looked, especially seeing it was night.

"We should find someplace to rest," she called after a little while. "We'll need the rest if we want to reach Bleakfalls Barrow..." Her voice trailed to silence as she ducked behind a couple of rocks, grabbing Tucker's sleeve and pulling at him to do the same. "Over there..." She nodded in the direction of the mountain upon which Dragonsreach rested, ever proudly standing over Whiterun. Below the huge, rocky pedestal at ground level was a rather large overhang under which there was a fire with a couple of people seated around it.

"Look like bandits to me," she muttered. Her suspicions only heightened when she saw an upturned wagon a few yards away from the camp. "What do you think, Tucker?" Her mouth twisted into a smirk as she reached for her bow. "That looks as good a place as any to rest."
 
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Tucker ducked behind the rocks with Nisha, observing the location. "I agree, looks like the perfect place to rest." The overhang would provide shelter should it rain and it was a nice thing to put your back to. Plus, with the soon to be evicted bandits having set up camp there already, the spot was very accommodating. They could literally sit down, cook and sleep without having to do any work. "Let's clean house." He smirked, drawing his sword.

His first instinct was to go running towards the bandits, shield held in front of him and sword at the ready, but then he thought better of it. He had no idea just how many bandits there were. "Heh, I can only see about...3...or so." He told Nisha. "Dunno if you can see any more than me with your trained magic eyes. So maybe we oughta try and sneak up on em' this time?"

If they could do that. He wouldn't be able to get one of them without the others noticing him, and once Nisha nailed one with an arrow, the others would be on high alert, if not outright locate them right away. Still, the less they had to take on at once, the better. While he was sure he could take em' on no problem, he'd rather not get cut before going to sleep.

"You hit one between the eyes and the moment they throw their guard up, I'll take their attention. Once they're taken care of we can see what they're packing." He told the vampiress, a quiet chuckle rising from his throat. It almost sounded sinister. "Maybe we can make back the gold we spent, if not more." These bandits were far more loaded than the ones from before.
 
  • According to Plan
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