Clark in Skyrim, A continued report from across the border. Options

[ghastley]

Acadian: Elisif's not looking for a husband, as he'd take over as Jarl. She's looking for somebody who wants her, not her job.

The Thalmor are much more careful with their invitations after the incident with the Dragonborn.

---------------------

Previously Clark has left Jordis to try out her new armour while he attends to Elisif's needs.

---------------------

Part 27 - Proudspire again

Elisif had already woken, and gone down to the kitchen for breakfast, before Clark surfaced. It made sense for him to go out the same way he came in, invisible once more. He slipped out of the main door behind a guard, and remained invisible he until was on the patio of Proudspire Manor. Then he let it dispel, and opened the door.

He noticed that someone had thought to light the fire. He wondered if they'd done so when they delivered the furniture, or if it had been Jordis. She might have used it to cook something for herself last night. Or she might have just gone to the Winking Skeever. And he'd left her in the mood for some fun, so she might just have brought someone back with her.

He crept up the stairs, considering going invisible again. He decided not to. He hadn't given her any instructions, other than to practice in her new armour.

He opened the door to his bedroom quietly. The new furniture was in, and the place looked much better than the first time he'd seen it. The bed was an opulent four-poster with a canopy rail - and a nude Jordis asleep on it.

Alone, he was pleased to note. Except, that is, for one of those carved horker tusks. Clark wondered if that came from one of his own factories.

Clark left her there, and went down to get himself some breakfast.

---

Jordis still hadn't put any clothes on when she appeared about an hour later. Since he hadn't told her what she should wear around the house, she wasn't going to just grab something from the closet without asking him first.

Put that way, it almost sounded reasonable. If it wasn't for the way she wiggled her hips as she walked over to the cookpot, and spread her legs before bending over it.

"She's trying too hard," he thought to himself. "Which really means she's not quite sure of herself."

He couldn't help comparing her to Lydia and Iona. Blonder, of course, and maybe a little rounder and softer. She was about the same age as Iona, which would be a year younger than Lydia. She was at the peak of fitness, with breasts that couldn't be larger without starting to droop just a little. She should be confident in her desirability, so why wasn't she?

Well, he had just put her off to go sleep with someone else. And there had to be some reason that she wanted him right away. Lydia and Iona had both wasted no time, maybe that was part of their training.
"Let me think about your outfit a little longer," he told her. "I quite like the one you're wearing now."
Jordis giggled, but Clark could see relief in her expression.

"Tell me about your training," he asked her. "My other housecarls had the skills to match their equipment, so I assume you know heavy armour, block and one-handed. What else did they teach you?"

"Everyone learns to heal themselves when they're little, so they don't have to run to their mother every time they fall down. And women learn a few other restoration spells at puberty. Housecarl training adds healing others, so I can protect my Thane better. I can use a bow as well, but I wouldn't call myself an archer. And I can cook, even if it's nothing fancy."

"What about the other magic schools? Do you know any conjuration, or alteration, for example?"

"No, we're taught to use potions, or scrolls, for anything like that. We'd need more magicka, and health and stamina are more important for a housecarl."

"Lockpicking, sneaking, pickpocket, speech?"

Jordis shook her head, and a few other parts jiggled in sympathy. "They didn't teach that, but most of us picked up some skill, just being students, if you know what I mean. Those are the best skills for causing a bit of mischief."

"So what were you best at?"

"Up to now, I thought I was good at persuading. Well, men at least. There's no point having all this if I don't use it, is there? And I have to make my Thane like me. I'm sworn to protect him, but he's only going to look after me if he wants to."

That made perfect sense, and Clark was certain that it wasn't her idea. Not when Lydia and Iona had both bedded him within hours of meeting him. Given their duties, it could be a matter of life and death, after all. A Thane who just didn't care about them would quickly get them killed.

On reflection, he'd done the right thing by upgrading her armour and sword. That should have told her right away that he wanted to keep her. And that reminded him, he had enchanted her sword, but maybe he should make an amulet for her as well. She needed some support, or she wouldn't stay that perky for long.

He took her down to the basement and spent the next few hours teaching her the basics of alchemy and enchanting. "There was one other skill I didn't ask you about," he suddenly thought. "Did you learn any smithing?"

"Enough to make the armour and weapons I had yesterday. They make us do that as part of our course. So not enough to improve the plate you just gave me, and certainly not anything enchanted."

"By the time you need that upgraded, you should be able to. Just improve any iron and steel you pick up, and the better leather stuff, before you sell it. You'll get a better price too, especially if you sell the piece you're wearing."

"You won't want to sell this," he continued, and put the amulet he'd just enchanted round her neck. "How does that feel?"

"Uplifting?" she ventured. "I can't really describe it, but I like it."

"Then I think we've found you the right outfit for home," Clark announced.

"Just this amulet?"

"You're only my housecarl, you don't get a ring."

---

"This is the place," Gilda thought to herself. "And it looks like I have multiple entrances to choose from. They'll typically have the same lock, so you can use the same key anywhere. So I won't go in the basement. I'll go round the back and in the floor above. I'll have more cover back there."

"No shadowmark? That must mean someone new's just moved in. I'll have to add one on the way out."

"Aah! There we go. Nice and quiet. Let's hope they've oiled the hinges already."

She cracked the door open just a little and peered through the gap. There didn't appear to be anyone on this floor; they'd probably gone up to bed already. She slipped in and closed the door quietly behind her.

There was some decent silverware on the shelves and tables, but they weren't why she was here. She had a specific piece to steal, a golden model of a ship. Anything else she picked up was hers to sell, but she had enough gold not to bother. This job was for the benefit of the Guild.

"Yes, they're definitely in bed," she thought. "And not asleep yet. But she'll sleep soundly after that, judging by the noise she's making."

There was no sign of the ship on the main floor. Gilda decided to check the basement, and give the couple a little longer to tire themselves out. Even though she just knew it would be in that bedroom. It always seemed to work out that way.

As expected, the model ship was nowhere in the basement, either. Her hunch that it was in the bedroom was getting more likely all the time. However, they didn't seem to be falling asleep as soon as she'd hoped.

She was just outside their door now, and she could hear more clearly.

"And have you ever tried this?"

"That's Clark's voice!" Gilda gasped. "I could be standing here for hours, if he's on form."

She pondered a few moments, and came to a decision. Pausing only to undo her jacket, she opened the door.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" she asked.

"Gilda, this is Jordis, my new housecarl. Jordis, this is Gilda, my apprentice." Clark spoke without interrupting what he was doing. Jordis didn't reply, except to moan with pleasure.

"Good evening, Jordis. I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important. And do you need any help? Clark can be a bit overwhelming until you get used to him."

Gilda let her jacket fall to the floor, and bent to let Clark kiss her. As he did so, she slid off her boots and pants, and kicked them aside. Then she moved to the other end of the bed and started to play with Jordis' breasts.

"Hers are a bit bigger and softer than Lydia's, aren't they?" Gilda asked, running her tongue around the nearest one.

"So?" Clark replied. "They suit her, and they respond to a bit of attention, which is all I care about."

They certainly did, and the young Nord was getting a lot of attention. Twice as much as she bargained for. "I thought you were going to help me, not Clark," she panted. "Not that I'm complaining, yet."

At her first opportunity, she traded places with Gilda. She'd never seen breasts as big as those before, and she was sure the stranger wouldn't mind her repaying her in kind.

[Acadian]

Clark was certainly put through his paces in this episode!

Persuasive logic about why it seems to be in a housecarl’s best survival interest to bed their thane. Practical, if not romantic.

[ghastley]

Acadian: It's always struck me that the job of housecarl is like an arranged marriage without any guarantee of the benefits. There's an outside chance of an upgrade, and as Jordis pointed out, they at least need to be wanted.

-------------------------

Previously: Clark and Elisif, followed by Clark and Jordis, then Gilda came and joined in.

-------------------------

Part 28 - Stones

"So why are you in Solitude?" Clark asked when Gilda lifted her head off his shoulder the next morning.

"Guild job. They actually sent me to rob this house, or rather, to take a specific item from it. A golden model of a ship. Since I haven't found it in the rest of the house, I assume it's in here, somewhere."

"If it is, I haven't seen it. But then I haven't really looked the place over in any detail. This is only the second day since I bought it."

Jordis opened one bleary eye, and pointed. The ship was on a shelf on the other side of the room, next to a small jewel case with a glowing red gem in it. Gilda got out of bed and went over to take a look. Jordis cuddled up closer to Clark, in case he needed her.

"I haven't seen one of these before." Gilda said, picking up the unusual gem and bringing it back to the bed to show Clark.

"But I think I have," he replied. "There was one just like it at the Blue Palace." He didn't mention that he'd seen it in Elisif's bedroom, or why he'd been there. He had enough complications without introducing that one.

"Other than that, I don't recall seeing any others. That glow alone would make me remember. I have no idea if they're valuable, or just a curiosity, either. But the fact that you found one here just lying around suggests the latter."

"Good point," Gilda agreed. "But do you mind if I take this one to show them at the Guild? They have experts on every kind of merchandise there."

"That would be a good idea. You've got to take them the ship, so you'll be going there anyway."

Gilda gathered up the ship and headed out the door. "I'll start breakfast. Come down when you're ready."

Jordis had already decided what she wanted for the first course.

---

Clark and Jordis joined Gilda about half an hour later in the dining room. Clark handed Gilda her leathers, that she'd left in the bedroom. She put them on, but didn't bother doing the jacket up until she left the house.

"Is she going to appear every time we do it?" Jordis asked as soon as the door closed behind her.

"No, it could be someone else next time. Who would you like?" Clark replied. "Like I told you, I have two more housecarls. And did I mention the brothel in Markarth?"

"No you didn't. I'm not sure I want to know."

"Information is useful, even if it's not what you want to hear," Clark insisted. "So I'll tell you anyway. We may need to go there soon, to find out what the change of Jarl has meant to business."

When he described Vicuña, Jordis looked depressed again. "You like really big-breasted women, don't you?"

"Yes, but I like variety, too. Yours are just the perfect size for a housecarl. Did you know Gilda can't use a bow, because hers get in the way of the bowstring?"

Jordis thought about that for a moment. Would she rather have have breasts like Gilda's, or be able to use a bow? She thought of the times her bow had kept her alive, and it wasn't a hard choice. And Clark did seem to like hers, which is what really mattered.

"Get your armour on," Clark told her. "I want to go exploring today, and let you show me how you fight. We need to learn to work together, and a bit of cave-clearing should do it."

He reminded her that she didn't have to worry about him getting killed, but he needed to find out what support she'd need in a fight. "I don't wear physical armour, but I can cast a strong spell, Ebonyflesh, and wards, so not much will get past that. What I don't have is the pool of magicka that an Altmer or Breton would have. So I don't normally do destruction spells, except for an occasional fireball. I'll use my sword, which has the same enchantment as yours, but mainly I'll block while you attack. Understood?"

---

They left the city and walked down the road towards Dragon Bridge. Before they got there, however, Clark decided to take a turn to the north and look for a cave or something. They were bound to find something in the hills between here and the northern shore.

A pack of wolves on the path gave them a chance to fight together against a weak opposition, and Clark got an idea of which way Jordis would attack, and how likely she was to jump in front of him. A little too likely at present, but that was the way she'd been trained. And he'd not complain when it was a bear or troll, instead of wolves. If he'd been an archer, he'd be cursing her for blocking his aim, but he wasn't, so they could easily adjust.

"Look, a cave!" she announced. Just off the road ahead was a dark opening that probably was the mouth of a cave. Clark cast his armour spell and entered, with Jordis close behind him.

The cave was small, and there only seemed to be one occupant. That, however, was a frost troll, and it had seen them. Jordis rushed the creature, and set it on fire with her first swing. That surprised her as much as it did the troll, as she wasn't used to the enchantment yet. Those wolves had died in one swing, so she hadn't seen how the fire enchantment lingered. But she saw her advantage and kept the troll off-balance with a well-timed flurry of further blows. The flames grew as she did so, doing increasing damage each time. The troll turned, and tried to flee, but Clark cast a fireball in its path. Jordis thrust her sword into its back one final time, and filled a soul gem.

Clark showed her how to recharge the sword, before taking a look round the cave. Among the bones littering the floor, he found the remains of a conjurer, with another empty soul gem in his pocket, and a small satchel of alchemy ingredients. Lying next to him was a spell book, unfortunately one Clark already knew, so he handed it to Jordis. Then he noticed a small jewel case, like the one Gilda had found at Proudspire. There was a glowing red gem in this one, too.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Mar 25 2015, 02:29 PM

[Acadian]

’Jordis thought about that for a moment. Would she rather have have breasts like Gilda's, or be able to use a bow?’ - - Buffy tends to give her more, um. . . not-built-for-archery followers firebolt staves or crossbows for this very reason.

"Look, a cave!" she announced.’ - - This brought a chuckle, for I’ve heard her say that more than once.

Nice to see Clark and Jordis fighting effectively together and that the housecarl is doing well with her standard issue Clark-enchanted blade of fiery soul trap.

Heh, Gilda seems the clever one here having, apparently recruited Clark to help round up those unusual gems.

[Grits]

"Look, a cave!" she announced.

Perfect! Ooo, another gem! That was a great observation about the troll catching on fire after the wolves just dropped dead.

[ghastley]

Acadian: Gilda throws ice spikes when she needs range.
It's unusual to hear it on the way in. Most followers only notice caves when they emerge afterwards. It's my way of pointing out that Jordis may be blonde, but not stereotypically so.
Neither Clark nor Gilda know yet what the gems are about, so they won't know that the Guild is the ultimate beneficiary.

Grits: After using the fiery soul trap a few times on different weapons, I noticed that it works best on faster ones, as the stacking effect - "more damage to enemies already on fire" - adds up more. It makes it strange that you only find it on a battle-axe.

-----------------------

Previously: After finding an unusual gem in the bedroom, Clark took Jordis out to try her new equipment and show him how she used it. They found another of the gems in a cave. So now Clark needs to fetch one he already found.

-----------------------

Part 29 - Palace Duties

Clark went to the Blue Palace for the usual weekly meeting of the Thanes, Elisif's council of advisors. Erikur was complaining about the Empire taxes on shipping, which of course wasn't anything Elisif could change, even if she had any sympathy for the fat merchant. Bryling was more concerned with city security. The legion had been recruiting the city guards, and their ranks were getting a bit thin.

"They only have to keep order in the city these days," Falk reminded her. "The soldiers are patrolling the roads."

"True, but their interests aren't quite the same as Haafingar's. I'd be happier if we had more men."
Elisif's glance at Clark told him she'd seen the unintended double-entendre. "I don't think Falk would entirely agree with that sentiment, " she added.

Bryling realised what she'd said, and barely suppressed a snort. Erikur sat there nonplussed. It had all gone completely over his head. Perhaps he didn't know about Falk and Bryling, they were trying to be discreet. Sybille had caught on, but her nocturnal habits probably meant she encountered them together more often.

They discussed a few more topics of general concern, and Elisif declared the meeting over. "Falk, talk to Bryling about the guard situation. We might be able to use part-time volunteers, or something. Clark, could you come with me? I'd like you to look over the Palace's books. Erikur's done his best with them, but I'd like a second opinion from another merchant."

"They're properly balanced, if that's what you're concerned with," Erikur asserted.

"And I'm sure you've checked for any missed opportunities you could see," Elisif agreed. "But a second set of eyes might catch something new."

---

"Last time, you said you'd like to watch me undress," Elisif said, once they were in her room, and the door closed behind them. "Did you mean watch, or did you want to help?"

"Whichever you'd prefer. Let me know when you'd like my assistance."

Elisif stood by a chair, and took off the outer robe she wore. She draped the robe over the chair, and turned to face Clark again. She wore the same dress that she usually did for public audiences, or at least an identical one, but somehow it looked different. Her breasts looked higher, and her areolae were peeking above the neckline. Clark wondered if she'd been teasing the public with those today.

When she slid the dress to the floor, it was clear why she looked different. A lacy corset was pushing her up, and the half-cups presented her nipples delightfully.

Silk stockings covered her legs, held up by thin straps from the bottom of the corset. A minimum of lace ran between her legs to complete the ensemble.

"This was Torygg's favourite outfit. On me, I mean."

"We obviously have something in common," Clark agreed. "And how did he proceed when you presented yourself to him like this?"

"Never the same way twice. He might let me take it off, slowly, one piece at a time; or he might tear it off me with his teeth. Or have me leave it all on."

She turned and bent over, to show him how the lace parted. Clark knew she was enjoying putting on this show for him, so he let her continue. He pulled another chair over, and sat watching.

After a few minutes of strutting around, squeezing her own nipples, and fingering herself, Elisif became impatient, and came to sit on Clark's lap. She presented him a nipple to start on, and started to unlace his fly.

---

"I'm not sure this chair will last much longer," Clark interrupted. "It wasn't intended to support two people, and certainly not this much activity."

Elisif paused to let him lift her up, and he managed to stand without slipping out. She wrapped her legs around his back, and he walked over to the bed. "Walk around a bit more," she suggested. "This feels good."

"I'd rather you were over the bed in case my foot slips, or I trip over something. I can't see where I'm going."

If she'd been a slender little Wood Elf, they might have been able to sustain that position a bit longer, but he soon had to lay her back onto the bed. She took the opportunity to remove her panties.

"Is that corset comfortable, or do you want to take that off, too?"

"It's laced all up the back, I'll need your help."

Elisif knelt, to give Clark the access he needed, and he set to work.

---

"Where did you get the unusual gem?" he asked. Elisif was getting dressed, and it was almost as much fun to watch as the opposite direction. She lifted the dress over her head and wriggled it down her body. Then she turned and answered.

"Oh that, I don't know. Torygg brought it back from one of his trips. He had Sybille look it over, but she only found a little magic in it, enough to make it glow. And the box is enchanted with a minor levitation spell to make it float, but that's all. Just a curiosity. I don't know why I've bothered keeping it."

"I found a couple more of those myself, and I've been wondering about them. Perhaps they're pieces of something, and you need to put them all back together, before anything happens."

"You can have that one if you like. Let me know if you find anything out about them."

"I'll do that," he replied.

---

A few days later, Clark heard the front door of Proudspire Manor open and close again. "Clark! Are you and Jordis busy?" Gilda's voice announced her return from Riften.

"How does she know?" Jordis asked.

"Don't complain, we've had a couple of nights to ourselves," Clark reminded her. "and you've certainly made the most of them."

"Come up and join in," he called down to Gilda.

She strode in, naked already, and straddled Jordis' head. "Catch me up, while I talk to Clark, will you?"

"You know that gem we found? Well I showed it to Vex, and she told me it was one of the Stones of Barenziah. Apparently, there's two dozen of them, and they were all once in her crown. They're not worth anything individually, but the whole set would be a different matter. Yes, just there. I'll do the same for you in a moment"

"Jordis and I found another one in a cave the other day. So we have three so far. Only twenty-one more to find."

"We have five. I found one in Whiterun, and another one on the Dainty Sload. That's why I'm back in Solitude. The Guild sent me to do a job for Erikur, payback for the ship's captain cheating him on a deal."

"Are you sure about that? I wouldn't trust anything Erikur told me."

"Yes, the Guild checked the details before they agreed to it. And we have him nicely in our pocket if he gets out of line now. The guards already know that Erikur had dealings with Captain Volk, and we can plant more of the drugs in Erikur's house, just as easily as I did on the Dainty Sload."

"You suspect that Erikur was dealing the stuff?"

"It makes money, so of course he would. That's the only consideration he ever has. And it feels so good."

Clark looked down. He decided that Gilda had caught up enough, and he'd better rescue Jordis.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Apr 1 2015, 05:52 PM

[Acadian]

And Clark continues the hard work of gathering those unusual gems.

Gilda has an interesting way of keeping Jordis quiet while briefing Clark on what she’s learned about the gems.


Nit - ’Well I showed it Vex,’ -- Missing a ‘to’ before Vex?

[ghastley]

Acadian Only one Stone collected this time, but they'll turn up from time to time. Now they're looking for them, they'll get noticed.

Once I decided that Clark would buy Proudspire, that quest became inevitable, especially with Gilda becoming Guildmaster.

---------------

Previously: Much the same as the episode before. I'd better change things before Clark gets into a rut - even if he'd like that! So this time we'll leave Solitude and confirm the end of the Main Quest.

---------------

Part 30 - Guild Work

"I brought something else from Riften," Gilda said, once she'd got her breath back. "Madesi gave me this."
She picked up something from the floor. Clark hadn't seen her drop it there, but he'd been concentrating on Jordis.

"He offered to show me how to use it, the cheeky beggar!" Gilda held up a large ivory dildo. The shaft was carved to resemble an Argonian's scales, but perhaps a bit bumpier than the real thing.

"Ah yes, that was the project we discussed last time I was there," Clark told her. "And the reason he made that offer is that this one does something you won't have seen before."

Clark took the dildo from her and looked it over. "Yes, here it is." He twisted the base and the dildo started to writhe in his hands. "It's powered by a Dwemer dynamo core. Those things can run for ever, it seems. There are a lot of parts that slide and turn to make this work, and it's a real piece of fine workmanship. Madesi's done better than I thought possible."

"I think Jordis deserves the first chance to try it," he continued. He handed it back to Gilda, and gave her room.

Jordis lasted about a minute before she couldn't take any more. "Your turn, then," Clark said, taking it back from Gilda. He offered it to Jordis, but she declined. "I just want to watch, and see how much of it she can take."

"Ready or not, here it comes."

Gilda was already losing control when Clark found out that he could twist it further, and speed it up. Jordis was giggling like she was drunk, and clinging to Clark to stop herself falling over. Gilda gripped the sheets tightly and arched her back. This was amazing, and she wasn't going to admit that it was too much for her.
Clark brought her back down gently, turning the speed lower and letting her recover. He took another look at the control. "It looks like you can turn this the other way, too." He did so and it produced a different motion. "Ready to try some more?" he asked Jordis.

"OK, but be gentle, make it last this time." She lay down next to Gilda, and held her hand. Clark slid it into her before turning it on, and increased the power gradually, watching Jordis' face for her reaction.

At the right time, he started dialing back the power. Time to get back to the real thing. He handed the dildo to Gilda, and showed her the other setting, then he pulled Jordis onto him and began to rock her gently over the edge.

---

Clark asked Gilda, over breakfast, how she was doing with her project to repair the Thieves Guild's reputation. "Solitude's dealt with," she responded. "Whiterun, too. I just had to spring an old man from the jail there, nothing too controversial, and I found one of the gems during that caper. Windhelm has a rival gang I still need to deal with, and Markarth's jeweller (and potential fence) needs a candlestick mould recovered from the bandits who stole it."

"Need any help with those?" Clark asked.

"I wouldn't mind having the numbers balanced a bit. I could probably get by on just stealth to recover the mould for Endon, but the Summerset Shadows need to be eliminated. They might notice someone killing them."

"Summerset? Meaning they're all Altmer?" Jordis queried.

"That's the information I have."

"Do you think they might have any connection with the Thalmor?" She was asking both of them, now.

Gilda had no idea, but Clark thought they could have followed the Thalmor to Skyrim, even if they weren't connected directly. They'd have more chance to thrive with Thalmor influence in place.

"And then of course there's Riften, and the Black-Briars. I won't tackle that problem until I have the others sorted, and I'm confirmed as Guildmaster. It's likely she'll still have some of the members on her side right now."

"We'll need all the help we can get for that one," Clark agreed. "But back to the present. Where do you want to start?"

"Those Altmer in Windhelm, or rather its hold. They don't have their headquarters in town, but out in a cave a fair distance away. There's an agent in the city itself, but she already agreed to cooperate if I can get the gang off her back. She used to be a Thieves Guild member, and she'd much rather be back with us."

"We can pick up Lydia on the way. That should give us the numbers we need."

"Can you handle three women at once?" Gilda asked him.

"I've got help now," Clark replied, holding up Madesi's invention.

---

Lydia told them they'd just missed Diablita. She'd been back to tell Jarl Balgruuf about the end of Alduin, the World-eater, and the whole city had held a celebration in her honour. She'd warned them that they might still experience a few more dragons, but Alduin wouldn't be raising more, and some of them would be on Paarthurnax' side, and not hostile.

"Where did she go?" Clark asked.

"She might have headed for Solstheim," Lydia replied. "A couple of Dunmer in weird masks tried to assault her in the street, and she found a note on one of them pointing her that way. It seems that she might not be the only Dragonborn."

"Solstheim? That's somewhere I haven't been," Clark remarked. "There's not a lot of trade, since the ebony mine at Raven Rock closed down. The Dunmer who settled there after the Red Mountain exploded aren't doing too badly; at least they know how to farm the ash. But apart from the produce, and a few gems, they don't have much to sell. The East Empire Company's just about abandoned the place, I hear. They certainly don't sail there from Solitude any more."

He showed Lydia one of the unusual gems. "If you see any of these around, pick them up for me. There are twenty-four of them in all, but we've only found five so far. They're not valuable individually, so you may not have any problem persuading folks to let them go."

"I think I've seen one of them. When we had the festival for Diablita, I went back to Jorvaskr with one of the Companions for a bit of fun, and there was one lying around downstairs. I can't remember exactly where it was. I was in a lot of beds that night."

---

Gilda left to pay the mead hall a visit, and came back a few minutes later with their sixth gem. "Nobody noticed me taking it. In fact, nobody noticed me at all. Should I be worried?"

"You haven't met Diablita, have you?" Clark asked her. "After a man's seen her, just about any other woman will go unnoticed for a while."

Lydia described Diablita for the others' information.

Gilda's opinion: "Definitely not inconspicuous." Jordis was totally amazed that anyone would fight two-handed and naked.

Clark reminded her that he didn't wear any armour either. "She uses spells for that, just like I do. She just takes it all a little further, and doesn't wear clothing, either. And she's not quite naked, she does wear those chains."

Back in her Cyrodiil days, her chains and piercings were her armour, but she'd outlasted them by a couple of centuries. Obviously the supply of Sigil Stones dried up a long time ago, so you couldn't enchant like you used to.

[Acadian]

I think Clark and company just might be diverse and into enough things that collecting all 24 gems might be pretty doable for them.

And Diablita! Or at least word of her. Heck, a whole festival for her – makes perfect sense, given that she’s taken care of that pesky old Alduin.

Kind of open as to whether Clark will go to Solstheim. I look forward to finding out. I can imagine that Diablita would have little trouble with some of the more yucky choices required there. The First Dragonborn vs Dovadaedra!

I see that Clark’s exploits in the boudoir have gotten more. . . explicit the last couple episodes. You’ve traditionally made superb use of innuendo in such cases and I’ve always enjoyed how creatively you’ve done so in the past. And a gentle reminder as well that our members can be as young as thirteen. I do believe that when writing such scenes, a bit more left to the imagination can be wonderfully effective. I say this knowing perfectly well that SubRosa, Darkness Eternal and I have, on very rare occasion, written sex scenes that test the edges a bit. But since such activities are a regularly recurring and integral part of Clark’s wonderful adventures in Tamriel, I’d love to see a return to your more subtle touch with those kind of scenes going forward.

[ghastley]

Acadian Clark will be going to Solstheim eventually, but since many of the DB MQ activities take place in Apocrypha, which only the Dragonborn can reach, won't be able to take part in those. Diablita gets a mention in this one, though, as does another unusual gem.

--------------------

Previously: Clark is quite worn out, and needs to relax with a bit of life-or-death dungeon diving.

--------------------


Part 31 - Uttering Hills

"We're getting close," Lydia remarked. "I think I can see an archer up ahead, guarding the entrance."

"I think he's seen us, too," Jordis replied, raising her shield to block an incoming arrow.

Lydia already had her bow out, and was preparing to send one of her own back. Gilda fired off an Ice Spike, and Clark a Firebolt. Lydia denocked her arrow, it wasn't needed.

Jordis pulled the arrow out of her shield and checked it for damage, then added it to her quiver. "Only steel, but they're good enough for bandits."

"Do we know how many are in the gang?" Lydia wanted to know.

Gilda hadn't got that much information about them. Just that they were Altmer, so there were bound to be mages among them, and that the leader's name was Linwe. They didn't just need to eliminate the gang; she was also looking for for Fjotli's locket.

"Who's Fjotli?" asked Jordis.

"Was. She was the daughter of of Torsten Cruel-Sea, in Windhelm. The gang killed her and stole her silver locket. Her father wants it back, and he's the one the Guild wants won over. Getting Niranye back as a fence is a bonus."

"Windhelm seems to be a dangerous place for young women," she continued. "When I went there to talk to Torsten, someone had just killed another one in the graveyard outside the Hall of the Dead. I discovered his hide-out in an abandoned house, and tracked him down. That was despite everyone's help, pointing me at the court wizard instead. When I asked him, Wuunferth recognised the amulet I found in the murderer's lair as the Necromancer's Amulet, and it all fell into place. I caught Calixto trying to stab another woman in the marketplace, and put my blade in him, instead."

"They told me that he'd killed two more women before Susanna the Wicked. One of them was probably Friga Shatter-Shield, because he'd taken over her house, but I don't know who the other was. When Torsten told me about Fjotli, I assumed she was the one, but he'd already found her killer, and identified the Summerset Shadows as the people behind the murder."

"And you're sure this Calixto wasn't one of them?" Clark asked.

"He was an Imperial, so I doubt he had any connection. And Fjotli was younger than the women that Calixto was killing, just a child really."

Gilda paused for a moment. "You know, I think I saw one of those gems in Wuunferth's room. When we get back to Windhelm, I'll go check, and see if he knows anything about them."

---

They encountered several other Shadows inside the cave, one at a time, and disposed of each without much effort. The end of the cave was the first time they met two Shadows together, and neither of them was Linwe. "He must be in here," Lydia indicated a door set in a stone wall.

"This looks like there was a tower above at some point. Can't go up, so I'd guess they'll be downstairs," she continued, after they'd gone through the door.

There was nobody in the room below, but a tunnel led off it, and they could hear footsteps coming towards them. Lydia sent an arrow into the dark, and a cry of pain, and the quickening of the footsteps, confirmed a hit. Another Shadow ran out into a flurry of swords. He didn't last long.

Another of Lydia's arrows took out a further Shadow, before she could even get out of her chair, at the end of the next tunnel. "That looks like a dead end," Clark remarked.

"It was for her," Lydia responded.

"Through here," Gilda urged. "This looks like the main chamber."

The ceiling there was higher, and a large banner hung in the middle of the room. Clark had a flames spell ready, so he torched the banner to see if that evoked any reaction. If it did, the Shadows would be emerging from those two doors opposite.

"Stay back and wait for them," he instructed, and as they all rushed out of the adjacent rooms, hurled a fireball into their midst. Since most of the party were using swords with Fiery Soul Trap, the enchantment stacked on the existing flames, and it was quickly over. Linwe was the last to fall, and the locket was on his body.

His room also contained a copy of Mace Etiquette. Clark gave it to Jordis, as the junior member of the crew. She was the most likely to benefit from reading it.

---

Wuunferth knew very little about the unusual gem in his room. He'd found it in a cave somewhere, but he didn't recall where. He'd noted the minimal levitation spell on the case, and that's why he'd picked it up. When he got it back to Windhelm and examined it further, he couldn't find anything special about it.
Gilda told him the little she knew of its origins.

"Well, if you're collecting them, you can have this one. The only reason I still have it was curiosity, and that's more likely to be satisfied if you can get the whole set. Let me know if you manage it."

---

"Where next?" Clark asked.

"The silver mould is supposed to be at Pinewatch. That's a small cottage outside Falkreath, so there won't be a whole gang to deal with there. I was thinking I'd just sneak in and steal it back."

"I think I know where you mean. Siddgeir was trying to sell me a plot of land near there. He's not exactly the trustworthy type, even if he is Jarl. He called it Lakeview, so it wouldn't surprise me to find the land's at the bottom of the lake. Still, I have the directions from his steward, so I could take a look while you're retrieving the mould."

"I take it we're going back home, then?" Lydia asked, indicating herself and Jordis.

"Take Jordis back to Breezehome, and I'll pick her up on the way back. I'm sure you two can find something to do at the Bannered Mare."

"And sell the stuff we picked up here, to pay for the mead?" Lydia inquired.

"I thought the men bought all your drinks?"

"Busted!" Jordis laughed.

---

Before travelling back, they all went to listen to Luaffyn sing, (and have a drink or two) at Candlehearth Hall. Gilda recognised the mage sitting by herself in one corner.

"Isn't that Brelyna, from Winterhold? We met her at the Frozen Hearth when we went back to Enthir to get Gallus' journal translated."

"Yes, I think you're right. I wonder what she's doing here?" Clark agreed. He almost hadn't recognised her. She'd been wearing a rather shapeless Apprentice robe before, with a hood that hid most of her face. Now she had a tailored Expert robe, that revealed a slender, but shapely figure, and showed a bit of leg. She'd shed the hood, and Clark couldn't help thinking the next step should be re-styling her hair.

It turned out she was on her way to fetch some books from Fellglow Keep, not far from Whiterun. A mage apprentice called Orthorn had stolen them from the library, and one of them was apparently connected to the Eye of Magnus.

"And you're going alone?" Clark asked. Brelyna hadn't exactly struck him as the bold, adventurous type when they'd first met. Capable enough, but not really confident in her own abilities.

"Yes, and it surprises me, too. I'd never have believed I could do that before I met Diablita. She's shown me my spells are up to the challenge. Mind you, I'd still feel happier if I had someone with a big sword coming along with me."

Jordis and Lydia both giggled at the double meaning, and drew Clark's attention. "I may have the next best thing," he told Brelyna. "Jordis and Lydia here are heading that way, and would be delighted to help."

"But tell me how you know my old friend Diablita," he continued. "Was she at the College?"

"Only for a short time," Brelyna explained. "She'd come to buy a spell tome for Ebonyflesh from Tolfdir. He's the only one who sells that*. When she arrived, we were all in the Hall of the Elements having a lesson on wards. She listened in, and helped Toldfir with a demonstration, just before we all went off to Saarthal. You know what happened there."

"Was Diablita with you at Saarthal?" Clark asked her.

"No, she stayed behind at the College, shopping for other spells, I think. Anyway, she was there when we got back. I told her all about what had happened, and how scared I'd been. The Psijic monk appearing in a vision, and then all the fights with the Draugr. Fortunately Tolfdir was there to help me with Jyrik Gauldurson, or I'd never have got out alive!"

"Diablita told me that Tolfdir had said the same about me. He said that if I hadn't taken care of Jyrik, he'd be dead. I suppose it was a joint effort, after all."

"She told me I just needed a bit more experience to get my confidence up, and she could help with that. We went off and explored a few caves in the area, and fought a few bears and trolls, and I think she was right. It was her idea to use staves for my destruction, so I wouldn't have to raise all my skills at once. And she helped me with my magical practice, too."

Brelyna looked a bit embarrassed when she said that. "I did turn her into a dog at one point. But my spell to reverse that worked, so it all turned out well in the end. And I'm a lot more confident in my spells now, too."

Clark grinned. "Well, two housecarls may not add up to one Diablita, but they're better than nothing. And they have a lot more armour! Use them as a shield, they're quite tough. Or turn them into dogs, if you feel inclined."

------------------

Note: Clark and Vicu�a both use Ebonyflesh, and didn't get theirs from Tolfdir, who really is the only source in Skyrim. Clark learned his long ago, and Vicu�a before she arrived from Morrowind.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Jan 11 2019, 10:32 PM

[Grits]

That’s an inventive application of Dwemer technology! Now everyone’s going to want one.

It’s always fun to hear about the game’s quests going on in the background. Must have been quite a party at Jorrvaskr. It’s fun to think of Lydia with a social life.

I laughed at the thought that with Jarl Siddgeir, Lakeview could mean a view from the bottom of the lake.

Brelyna’s short robe looks nice. Woo, she’s doing the MG questline (maybe)! I can’t wait to see what Clark does with her hair. I have a special fondness for Brelyna. Jerric enjoyed his brief time as a dog.

[Acadian]

Clark, Lydia and Jordis are working well together at dungeon clearing!

’Siddgeir was trying to sell me a plot of land near there. He's not exactly the trustworthy type, even if he is Jarl. He called it Lakeview, so it wouldn't surprise me to find the land's at the bottom of the lake.’ - - Same reaction here as from Grits!

Brelyna! She is one of my fave NPCs and it’s fabulous that you have her on a track that might even lead to Arch Magehood for her someday! Yup, gotta do something about her hair though.

And, as ever, I really like that Clark is only part of what is going in Skyrim. Others are doing quests that he either helps with or only hears about – very neat!

[ghastley]

Grits: Not everyone is going to feel the same about "the Madesi", as we'll see in this one.

The only problem with having Clark as an observer is remembering which of his companions has met whom, and who needs to be informed about things they weren't involved in. For example, Brelyna has met Diablita, and now Gilda, Jordis and Lydia, but not Iona, yet. I've had to rewrite a few episodes where I lost track.


Acadian: When I first took the screenshot of Brelyna, I'd already fixed her hair, and I had to re-shoot with her original hair to match the story! She's definitely on her way through that quest line, and we'll see her again soon.

-----------------------------

Previously: Gilda, Lydia, Jordis and Clark eliminated the Summerset Shadows, the first of Gilda's tasks for the thieves Guild. Jordis and Lydia went with Brelyna to retrieve some books for the College, while Clark and Gilda headed for Pinewatch to pick up a silver mould for her next job.

------------------------------

Part 32 - Pinewatch

"This isn't a bad location," Clark was thinking. "Decent view of the lake, protected from the wind by the rocks to the East, and far enough off the roads either side for some privacy. There's enough level ground for quite a large building, too."

He wandered around a little, and found several ore veins, and clay deposits, nearby. Those would be useful, as they'd provide quite a bit of the building materials a house would take. There were quite a few mature trees that someone had already started logging. That could have been Gerdur in Riverwood, or maybe Hert at Half-moon Mill. He'd have to go to one of the mills to get lumber sawn anyway, and they hauled it as part of the price.

He heard Gilda calling him. She was waiting outside the door of Pinewatch, beckoning him over.

"The item's not in the cottage, and I found a secret opening behind some shelves in the basement. It looks like there's a whole set of caves leading off beneath the hills. And I found a note that suggests a gang of bandits is based here. That makes a lot more sense of why the Guild sent me."

"I take it you'd like some assistance?"

"If only to carry out the loot," she replied. "Who knows what else they have stashed down there."

"Do we go and get the housecarls from Whiterun, and do it tomorrow in force?" he suggested.

"No, I left a dead bandit in the basement. If we don't do it now, they'll be expecting us."

---

Gilda stepped out of the tunnel onto a platform overlooking a large cave. "It's like a warehouse! This cave alone must be twice the size of the house above."

Certainly there was a resemblance. Shelves held crates and barrels on two distinct levels. A walkway wound around to give access to the upper level, and it seemed to lead off to another cave beyond. Someone was coming from that direction, and he'd probably spot them soon.

When he did, he had no option but to approach along the walkway, and fell to Gilda and Clark's ranged spells before he could use his warhammer. But the archer who emerged behind him didn't have that problem.

Clark pulled an arrow from his arm and cast a healing spell, as Gilda finished off the archer.

"I should have cast my armour quicker, but I didn't think I'd need it right away. I won't repeat that mistake."

"Then cast now, because I think I hear another one."

Clark did, and followed with a ward. The bandit wasn't carrying a weapon, and that usually meant mage. Her frost spell bounced harmlessly off, and Gilda was on her before she could change tactics.

They surprised a trio of bandits around a table in the next cave. Clark sent in a fireball before they could get up, and that made up for their lack of numbers. One of them was already dead in his chair, and the other two down to half their health before they started to fight.

Clark and Gilda paused to heal, and for Clark to get his magicka back. They might need that fireball again. Gilda took the opportunity to look around the cave for the silver mould. She didn't really expect to find it. They hadn't encountered the bandit chief yet, someone called Rigel Strong-Arm, according to the note Gilda had found in the house.

The next tunnel took them into what looked like part of a Nordic barrow. There were coffins around the walls, upright, in the ancient style, and the remains of draugr lying scattered on the floor. It appeared that the bandits had had some clearing of their own to do when they moved in.

One lone bandit was patrolling the area. He didn't put up much opposition. There were two ways out, and no clear choice between them. The first just led into a closed room. "But look what's here!" exclaimed Gilda. "Another of those gems."

There was quite a bit of other bandit loot, but no sign of the silver mould, or of Rigel.

They took the other exit, and soon found themselves entering the bandit gang's main sleeping area. Several of the beds were occupied, but they were all spread out along the wall, and Clark's fireball wasn't going to be very effective. They stopped at the entrance, and Clark put up a ward, while Gilda fired Ice Spikes at the sleeping bandits. With the slowing effect of the frost spell, the bandits could only reach them one at a time, and Clark and Gilda were able to use their swords to good effect.

"There's more coming from the next room"

Gilda responded to Clark's warning by firing Ice in that direction. The bandit slowed in the opening, effectively blocking it for those behind him. That gave Clark time to drink a potion and replenish his magicka. He raised his ward again, for another round of the same tactics.

Still no Rigel Strong-arm. She had to be farther in, probably guarding a chest with that silver mould in it.

Gilda stopped Clark at the entrance to the next room. There were bone rattles hanging from the ceiling everywhere, and an area screened off at the far end.

"I'd bet anything Rigel's behind that screen, probably asleep," she whispered. "In which case, this is a stealth job."

Gilda crept silently across the room, easily avoiding all the rattles, and disappeared around the corner. She emerged a few minutes later and beckoned Clark over to sneak after her. "I just learned how to do this, and I've been itching to try it," she whispered when he arrived.

Gilda pointed at Rigel, naked on her bed. "I pickpocketed her armour, right off her back."

Rigel rolled onto her back, snoring loudly. "Now isn't that pretty?" Clark mused. "How sure are we that she's the last one?" he asked Gilda.

"Fairly sure. There's only the one door out of here, and it's locked. With this key, which she had safely hidden in her armour."

Clark whispered in Gilda's ear, and she giggled. "Ooh, that's mean. Let's do it!"

Rigel's wrists and ankles were quickly tied to the bedposts. She struggled mightily, but she couldn't stop them. Clark reached into his backpack and pulled out Madesi's Dwemer-powered dildo.

"We're not going to hurt you, Rigel. Quite the opposite."

---

"I think she just passed out. She took more than I thought she could."

Clark watched her breasts rise and fall. She was breathing well, so they hadn't killed her. Gilda untied her wrists and ankles and he healed them, where the leather strips had dug in as she struggled.

"I think it's safe to leave her like this. She won't have any stamina left."

Clark remained on the edge of the bed watching the unconscious Rigel.

"Are you finished with staring at her boobs, or do I have to get mine out to lure you away?"

"That won't be necessary, but if you feel like it..."

Gilda pulled him to his feet, and pushed him through the door behind her.

"Careful, you almost pushed me into a trap."

There was a plate on the floor that obviously triggered something. Clark backed up and looked around. "Up there, that beam's set to swing down when it's released. I should be able to set it off without getting hit. There!"

The beam dropped, and swung past him. "Now let's move, before the trap resets."

There were two more traps on the way to Rigel's treasure cache. A dart trap, rigged to another plate on the floor, and a mace trap behind the last door. None of them a problem, because they were expected. A further pressure plate was in front of an altar, but they just went around the other side. The altar was covered in gold coins, gems, ingots, ores, and the silver mould Gilda had been looking for. There were a couple of candlesticks, that looked like they'd been made from the mould, too. Clark piled it all into their backpacks, and hefted one.

"This is about all I can carry. Can you manage yours? I know you have Rigel's armour already."

"No problem," Gilda replied. "The Guild armor fortifies my carrying ability. I don't wear it only to make me look good."

There was a barred door beyond the altar, but the bar was on this side. It led out onto the walkway in the first part of the cave, near the tunnel where they'd come in. They followed it back up to the basement.

Clark dragged the body of the bandit Gilda had killed into the tunnel and pushed the button that closed the secret door. He briefly considered destroying the mechanism, and sealing the place off, but they'd left Rigel alive down there. She'd need to get out, eventually.

---

They sold the armour, and most of the heavier valuables, in Falkreath. Clark found that he had enough gold with him to purchase the plot of land he'd just looked at.

Since he didn't have to deal with Siddgeir for that, just the steward Nenya, he dropped into the Longhouse and made the transaction. A shapely Redguard woman in steel armour and an Alik'r headscarf approached him as he opened the door to leave. "I'm Rayya,your housecarl. The Jarl has decided to make you Thane of Falkreath, now that you own property in his hold. Please come with me, so he can do the formalities."

So he had to meet with Siddgeir after all. The man was as slimy as ever, and told him that he'd have all sorts of interesting work available for Clark now he was Thane. Clark imagined that none of it would be honest.

Clark had to tell Rayya that he didn't actually have a house yet, just a piece of land to build one. "That's no problem," she replied. "Nenya will have had supplies sent to the site, enough to put up the beginnings of your home. I can help you make a start."

"You do that, and I'll go ahead to Markarth," Gilda told him. "You can meet me there when you have Rayya settled in."

[Acadian]

I’m so glad that Brelyna will be playing a significant role at the College. Like Jordis and Elisef, she’s among my fave ladies of Skyrim.

Ooh, Pinewatch! I know it well – great fun! Gilda and Clark continue to fight well together.

’Clark whispered in Gilda's ear, and she giggled. "Ooh, that's mean. Let's do it!" - - What a clever use for Clark’s dwemerized secret weapon!

And yet another housecarl to break in! Quite the collection Clark has.

[Grits]

Clark’s going to have a great place to party at Lakeview. I wonder if his neighbor Rigel will come over and say hello. It was fun to remember Pinewatch as Clark and Gilda went through it. That place has a real treasure cache. Neat.

Yay, Rayya! She was worth talking to Jarl Slimeball for.

[ghastley]

Grits: Although I'm writing many episodes ahead of posting, I still haven't decided what Rigel will do. She'll be aware that anyone else would have just killed her.

Acadian: More Brelyna soon, I promise. Clark now has the "complete set" of housecarls, so he may not want to get Thaned again!

---------------------------

Previously: Clark bought the plot of land at Lakeview and discovered that he'd been Thaned again. Gilda knows what that means, so she's left Rayya with Clark and gone to Markarth to see Endon and give him back his silver mould.

In this one, I couldn't help commenting on a few of the oddities of Hearthfires.

---------------------------

Part 33 - Lakeview

Rayya showed Clark the workbenches that had been delivered to the site. There was a chest of materials, including ingots of iron and corundum, and an anvil where he could make building materials. "You start making some locks, and nails and things. I'll go see if there's a pickaxe over there by the stone quarry."

Apparently there was, as he soon heard her picking away at the rock. She came back and dumped a load into the chest and returned to dig some more.

Clark read the plans, which didn't have many options to start with. It appeared that he'd have to put up a small house, but he'd get the chance to convert it to be the entryway to a larger one later. That needed some of the stone for a foundation, and more for the floor. He was glad Rayya had started with that. Perhaps she knew in advance?

He worked on laying the stone, as Rayya cut it. Before long, he was able to put a smooth course on top as a floor for the house.

Clark consulted the plans again. The next step was wall framing, which needed logs. Rayya pointed to a pile of them, over by the clay deposits. He noticed a chopping block there, too. He could turn any cut-off pieces into firewood.

With Rayya's help, he put up the roof framing next, before filling in the walls with wattle-and daub panels. There was enough clay in the chest to do that without digging up any more, but he wasn't sure if he needed any for the roof.

No, no clay for the roof, just timber. And nails. Clark had to make more of those first. He'd used the first batch up doing the walls. Now the only thing to add was the front door. He needed to make hinges and fittings for that, and they used up the last of the iron ingots in the chest.

Some of the left-over wood assembled a workbench inside for making furniture. Raaya had apparently put together a chest, too, but the rest of the room was bare. Clark checked the plans, to see what furniture he could make. "We'll want a bed as soon as possible," Rayya reminded him. She was much more subtle about it than Lydia, Iona or Jordis, but he knew what she meant.

"We don't have the materials for that. Did you need to use the last of the timber for the chest?"

Rayya pointed out that they didn't have any straw, and a bed needed that, too. He wouldn't have been able to make one anyway.

"Where do I get straw? And is there anything else we need to buy?"

"Read the plans. There should be a list of materials there somewhere."

There were a couple of items that he'd only be able to get at a general store. Straw was one, and glass was another. Goat horns, for making lamps, could be obtained from dead goats, but it looked like he'd need more than he'd find easily. He'd better buy some of those, too.

Clark looked outside. The sun was on its way down, but they could just get to Riverwood before the stores there closed.

---

Clark sent Rayya to buy iron and corundum ingots from the smithy, while he picked up the other materials from the Riverwood Trader. "And if you're done before I am, head for Gerdur's mill and order some more logs."

"Of course, my Thane."

---

It was getting dark when they arrived back at the Lakeview site. Clark made some more nails, and put a bed together. Then some iron fittings, so they could have lights inside and out, using some of the goat horns he'd bought.

"I won't put a fireplace in yet." he told Rayya. "If I'm reading the plans right, it looks like it would have to be removed if we make the house bigger. The bed can be moved, but a firepit can't."

"What I will do, is put up a smelter. We've got iron and corundum veins right here, and we might as well use our own materials. And we have enough of them to make an armorer's workbench and a grindstone."

Rayya looked over the plans. "If you add the Animal pen, that includes a tanning rack. You used the last of your leather strips making the bed. We'll probably need more later on."

She went inside while he did that, to put a bear pelt over the bed. It would keep the straw from poking through, and making them itch. Somewhere in the plans were instructions on upgrading the bed, but for some reason that might not be possible until they'd added on the main hall. Perhaps there was some piece of equipment he had to construct first. He needed to read it all through a few times, and figure out what he needed, and in what order.

The animal pen was simple enough to put together, and Clark made some more leather strips, and stowed them in the chest for future use. He decided to test out the smelter, too, so he mined some iron ore and made a few ingots. He stowed those away, and went inside.

Rayya had changed out of her steel armour into something more comfortable. A pair of baggy trousers, made of sheer silk that he could easily see through. She'd swapped her grey headscarf for a more colourful one, but the only other thing she was wearing was a sash around her waist.

Her breasts were small, high, and absolutely beautiful. They suited her slender, willowy figure perfectly, and they jiggled enticingly when she laughed.

She kept her headscarf on, even in bed. "An Alik'r woman doesn't show her hair to strangers. It's considered immodest."

"But you showed me everything else."

"I didn't say our traditions made sense, I just told you what they are. And now we've got to know each other, I can take it off."

Her hair was jet-black, and Clark guessed that it had never been cut. It reached down her back all the way to her buttocks, and might have gone further if it had been straight, instead of being curled into ringlets.

Although the hair on her head might never have been cut, she had none anywhere else. She explained that it was all part of not showing it to strangers. She couldn't just cover it up, or he'd never get to know her properly.

---

Clark now had three Nord housecarls that all fought the same way: with sword and shield. Rayya hadn't been carrying a shield, and her sword looked different, too.

"Yes, I use two scimitars. I prefer the faster attack to the greater defense of a shield. They taught us all the same way, so I know heavy armour, and have the smithing skill to make it. And block, even though I don't do that. Archery, of course, and enough restoration to heal both of us."

"You can make different armour on the anvil outside, if you'd prefer something lighter. Heavy and fast dont really go together."

"I might do that, once I have the skill. I quite like the look of the armour the Thalmor soldiers wear, except that I wouldn't want anyone to think I was one of them."

"You mentioned having other housecarls," she continued. "Where else are you Thane?"

"Riften, Solitude, and Whiterun. I also have property in Markarth, but it's a brothel, not a home. I'm basically a businessman, and that's just one of the businesses. I trade with the merchants and the shipping companies, and have some factories in various places."

"Making what?"

"These, for example. I can't live at all my houses all the time, so these are invaluable." This wasn't Madesi's, just a plain one, carved from a Horker tusk.

"Ivory, isn't it? I think I've seen this style before, too. They make them like this in Hammerfell."

"Yes, that's where that one was made, in one of the coastal cities. I've had to move my factories several times because of wars and pirate raids, so I can't remember where exactly that one came from."

"Does this mean you'll be leaving soon?"

"Not yet, but it does let me try a few things with you that I couldn't do without help."

---

"How many iron ingots do we have?" he asked.

Rayya looked up from the chest, where she'd been taking stock. "I think we have just enough to put up the main hall, and then we need to decide whether to mine and smelt, or buy more."

"We can add the cellar as well," Clark stated. "That just needs stone and logs. I want to install the Alchemy and Enchanting stations in the main hall, even if we build the towers later. You'll be able to use them to practise while I'm away, and if we put the target dummies in the basement, you can use those too."

"Are you going to have time to make all the furniture? I thought you needed to go to Markarth fairly soon."

"No, but if I appoint you steward, you'll have the authority to hire someone to do it for us. If you make the materials, here on the anvil, it will improve your smithing, too. When I get back, we'll decide about the wings. I'm thinking kitchen first, then bedrooms, and the tower at the back, for the view."

"Why the extra bedrooms? We'll have three beds already in the main hall, and you and I only need one of them."

"Because I may bring other people here. If it was just the housecarls, I'm sure we'd all be in the same bed, but ..."

"I get the point. I was just worried you were thinking family already."

"You may be sworn to carry my burdens, but I expect you to avoid carrying that one."

Rayya laughed. "Of course, my Thane."

[Acadian]

Clark the homebuilder! I suppose it is good that all the other Jarls provide men for housecarls. That helps keep Clark’s collection manageable.

It was nice of Clark to do so much of the work instead of just delegating to Rayya and disappearing. I don’t think manual labor is his forte, but he gave it a good shot. And it was fun to follow along with his and Rayya's progress on the house.

Ahah, no plans for any little ones at this point. I wonder if they'll adopt?

No, silly! You can’t upgrade the bed until you build the big hall!

[ghastley]

Acadian: Clark may need another housecarl to help take care of his housecarls! (They'd probably like that).

He expects Rayya to hire someone else to help with the work. He's determined that her persuasive skills are up to the job.

--------------------------

Previously: Rayya and Clark built the small house at Lakeview and put in a bed, but not much else. He's added the main hall, and made her Steward, so now he can continue to Markarth.

---------------------------

Part 34 - Markarth

Makarth hadn't changed much. The few differences Clark could detect seemed to be confined to Understone Keep. The old Jarl's retinue were gone, displaced to Solitude, and Thongvor's people had taken their places. The Thalmor no longer stalked the inner corridors, but Moth gro-Bagol was still the Jarl's personal smith, and the cooking staff remained. Even the dogs were still there.

As Thane of other cities, Clark paid his formal respects to the new Jarl. He asked after Cancelmo, and was told that the Altmer was still working in his excavations. If he wanted to buy any spell tomes or scrolls, he'd have to try and find him there.

Thongvor's attention seemed to be turned outside the city, which he was basically leaving to go about its own business. The Forsworn, the ones that had killed his brother especially, were his focus. They had to be tracked down and exterminated at any cost. It appeared that Thongvor didn't equate Forsworn with Breton, however, or he'd never have trusted his kitchen staff, all of whom were Breton.

Satisfied that his business interests in Markarth weren't under threat from the new regime, Clark went looking for Gilda. The Temple of Dibella was close, and he always enjoyed the company of the priestesses. He was also curious how Fjotra was getting on in her new life as Sybil.

Senna was in the public chamber, as usual, and Fjotra was helping her tidy the shrine. "Yes, if the flowers are wilting, it's all right to throw them away. The worshipers will bring fresh ones."

"Are the others downstairs?" Clark asked.

"Yes, they're in the middle of a ritual, which is why Fjotra's up here with me. She's not ready for those yet."

"They let me join in some of them, but not others," Fjotra added. "I haven't worked out what makes the difference, yet. And sometimes men are allowed to go down there and watch, but I'm not. Other times, it's only the priestesses. It's very confusing."

"Which kind is this one?" Clark asked Senna.

"You can go down," Senna told him.

---

As Clark had expected, Orla and Anwen were dancing. Wearing only lilies in their hair, they were performing an "invocation of natural beauty", which involved a lot of twining themselves around each other, and passing their hands over the other's body. A small audience of men was watching, and Hamal was passing a plate for donations to the Temple.

Clark leaned over her shoulder and put a few septims on the plate. His other hand announced his presence, too.

"Careful," Hamal whispered. "We don't want anybody thinking that's on offer."

The dancers finished and bowed to their audience, who clapped enthusiastically. Then they turned and bowed to the statue of Dibella behind them, to even louder applause.

The men shuffled out of the room. Some of them seemed to have difficulty walking, until they adjusted their clothing. Hamal smiled beatifically, and raised her hands in a sign of blessing.

"Staying prosperous, I see."

"I'm sure most of the men don't actually look at how much they're putting on the plate," Hamal replied. "They don't want to miss anything."

"What brings you here today? Apart from us, of course?" Anwen asked.

"I just looked in to see how Fjotra was doing. I was curious how you're managing to preserve her innocence, and train her for this at the same time."

"It's a question of determining what she understands, before we expose her to it. She has to understand how her body works, and how and why men's are different, before she can understand the rest. She's in the middle of puberty right now, and we've done some of the rituals for that," Hamal explained. "She already knows the spell for cleansing herself. And the one she doesn't need yet. If we make it part of her daily habit, she won't forget it when she's older."

---

Clark found Gilda over at the brothel, chatting with Vicuña. She'd delivered the silver mould to Endon, who'd offered his services to the Guild as a fence in return. "What have you been up to, Clark? Found any more of the Stones of Barenziah?"

Vicuña and Rhiada wanted to know what those were. Clark was carrying one in his backpack, so he showed it to them.

"I've seen one of those before," Rhiada exclaimed. "Now, where was it? Can't have been in the Warrens, so it must have been at the Treasury House. I don't recall where, exactly, and I haven't been over there for a while. Maybe Betrid remembers seeing it, too?"

"Yes, Thonar had one of those. Silly little bauble, it doesn't do anything but sit there, slowly turning, and glowing slightly. Not enough light to read by, or it would actually be useful."

"Gilda?"

She was already gone. The Treasury House wasn't far, and at this time of day, the main door would be open. She'd only have to pick a lock if it was in a back room.

They didn't expect her to take long, so when she hadn't returned a couple of hours later, Clark started to worry. He was walking to the door to go look for her, when she came in.

"After I picked up the first one, I suddenly recalled where I'd seen another," she explained. "There was one in the Dwemer museum, up at Understone Keep. I ran into Aicantar again, and he remembered me from my last visit. He'd rather enjoyed that, and hoped that I'd stay a while. I suggested that he come here, instead, but he can't get away from his uncle for long. So we had a quickie in his room before I came back."

"Quickie? You've been gone for hours!"

"A quickie is when he doesn't use any stamina potions," Gilda stated, looking at Vicuña for confirmation. The Dunmer nodded agreement.

"Aicantar's an elf. We're never in the same hurry you people are."

[Acadian]

Politicians Jarls come and go, but I figure the nature of Clark and Vicuña’s business in Markarth render it mostly immune to such events.

Gilda got two stones and one elf in the same outing!

"Aicantar's an elf. We're never in the same hurry you people are."

[Grits]

Lakeview: Clark got his furniture together much faster than I ever have, but of course he didn’t have to interpret stick figures drawn by Ikea. Funny about the straw bed before the main hall, nice bed after. How fun that Rayya had all of that hair tucked under her headwrap! I love her outfit.

Markarth: The line Acadian pointed out was also my favorite!