Chereads / The Dragonking of Nirn / Chapter 21 - Windhelm

Chapter 21 - Windhelm

Two days after Vincent killed Alduin, he awakens in an Inn with Mina looking over him. Vincent lays her beside him and hugs her and continues to sleep until Mina wakes up and says, "You are awake."

"Yes, how long was I out?" asks Vincent confused.

"Two days. The guards brought you and the dragon skull to Windhelm. I took care of storing the bones and scales for later. But maybe we should leave Windhelm as fast as possible," says Mina.

"Why? Did something happen while?" asks Vincent angry, thinking the people were making Mina's life harder than it is.

"It's not what you think. There is a serial killer in the city and the guards are doing almost nothing to stop him since they are prioritizing the war against the empire more," says Mina.

"What about Delphine?" asks Vincent.

"She left for Riverwood after we arrived in Windhelm. We shall meet her there to get the horn," says Mina.

"Really, I just kill the World Eater and she doesn't even have the horn with her. Next time someone asks me to do something remind me to take some collateral from them it seems some people can't be trusted around here," says Vincent.

"Noted. What are we going to do today?" asks Mina excited.

"We going to tour the city and leave the next day," says Vincent and Mina hugs him. They then dress up and leave the inn they were staying and find themselves in the Gray Quarters and Vincent asks, "You sure we are in the city of Kings?"

"Pretty much they didn't want to let me sleep in the main inn of Windhelm so we had to accommodate here in the Gray Quarter," says Mina as she takes Vincent's arm.

Both walk through the city while the Dunmers were indifferent about them the Nords didn't hide their disdain towards them except for one man that didn't even felt one and talked to them and even showed them the way. Once they were lost. Most of the guards knew what Vincent has done and showed some respect to him for killing a dragon almost on his own and stopped some evildoers that wanted to do something before they lose their head.

They stopped once a girl walked towards them with a basket full of flowers who says, "Mister don't you want to buy some flowers for the miss."

"How about you give me all and take a break for today," says Vincent as he hands over 20 gold coins.

The girl becomes excited and says, "I'm going to eat something warm tonight."

That didn't pass on both as they looked closer at the girl and see some holes in her clothes as well as dirt all over it and Vincent asks, "You alright girl?"

"Yes, why?" asks the girl who wanted to leave.

"You sure? You look like you sleep on the streets," says Vincent again making the girl sad.

"What my husband means to ask is, if you don't have parents that are looking over you," says Mina and the girl wanted to run when Vincent grabs her.

"Let go," says the girl.

"After you tell me where your parents are. I need to give them a lesson for not taking care of their daughter," says Vincent now angry thinking that the parents are lazy as shit while the girl worked her ass off.

"You can't meet them since they are dead," says the girl sad and began to cry.

"See what you have done. You made her cry," says Mina hitting Vincent on the back of his head lightly and Vincent let's go and Mina takes the girl in her arms and says, "We are sorry about that but why aren't you in Riften then?"

"The Jarl can't send me there since he is busy playing war and Aventus who came back said that the Orphanage is lead by an angry bitter witch that tells them that no one is going to adopt them," says the girl while crying and Mina washes the tears away.

"What is your name girl and how did your parents die?" asks Vincent now furious at Ulfric once more. If not for Mina he would rush into the Palace and rip his head off and sent it to Solitude.

"My name is Sofie. My mother died when I was 5 and my father died in an ambush were the empire took Ulfric prisoner some months ago," says Sofie and Vincent felt now guilty because her father could have been killed by him in Helgen when he escaped Helgen.

"How about we take you with us? I and my husband are orphans too. And our daughter is also adopted by my husband. Do you want to become our daughter," says Mina and Sofie was a bit taken back since she doesn't trust Altmers since she was raised by her father to hate Thalmors.

"You shouldn't judge her for being an Altmer. She lost her parents to the Thalmors when they run away from the Dominion. Now, how about you think about it and meet us tomorrow at the gates if you want to leave with us. If you don't want to come with us you don't need to come but don't expect us to soften up if you ever ask us again," says Vincent as he puts his hand on Mina's shoulder and Sofie runs away.

"Why did you have to say it like that," says Mina angry.

"Because if you sway her now and runs away later on you will feel guilty because she ran away from you. So let her decide herself and she will never run. Didn't you see how happy Lucia is even when we are around. I let her choose and she chose me even knowing I wouldn't be always at home," says Vincent.

"*sighs* I just hope she chooses us. Just thinking that this girl could be dead by next winter from the cold weather here in Skyrim," says Mina worried.

They continue their tour until four guards appear with a chest and one says, "*cough* Dragonborn, we brought you a reward for you from our Jarl for killing the dragon in Kynesgrove. He wanted to gift you a house but we don't have one that is vacant right now. If it shall happen he will send a letter to inform you. The money in the chest is for the Dragon Skull that was offered to him. Please accept the chest."

"Alright, I will accept it. I can't have my family starve because I don't have money," says Vincent as they drop the chest and Vincent opens his bag and the chest was swallowed. The guards looked surprised and Vincent says, "How do you think do I keep all the dragon bones and scales with me when we go dragon hunting. That's the only way I can collect everything to sell it to a friend of mine."

The guards retreated after doing what they were ordered to do. Vincent and Mina went to see Calixto's House of Curiosities. Once inside Vincent felt a bad aura in the house like back then in Nidhogg's Lair but didn't let it show to the other two. Calixto showed them around and Vincent feels it coming from the upper corner where the ladder is.

"Can you distract him while I check something out," whispers Vincent to Mina, who nodded and went deeper in with Calixto while Vincent climbed the ladder and finds a black diary and read it confirming what he felt before. He puts the diary back and climbs the ladder down and joins the two that stood in front of a book.

"What are you looking at?" asks Vincent curious that they stopped specifically in front of the book.

"That here is the Book of Fate. It reveals the destiny of the one holding it. Only the one holding it can read it. Do you two want to try it?" asks Calixto as he takes the book from the stand and hands it over to Mina first who read the book that Vincent saw empty. Then she closed it and hands it over to Vincent who opens it and suddenly words appeared in it.

'The Immortal Dragonking took the throne for 200 years before resigning it to his first son, who took the throne after the Immortal Dragonking taught him everything. Then he retired to the Throat of the World with his wives, Queen Ayrenn and Immortal Queen Serana.' Vincent stopped there as he closed the book not wanting to know what else the future had for him and says, "Pretty interesting book I must say. It really shows your destiny it seems. Have you ever use it?"

"Yes, but it doesn't show me anything not like when I was younger. That either means I'm close to dying or I don't have a bound destiny. But for me, it must mean I'm close to dying. I hope you liked the tour that would be 5 gold coins for both of you," says Calixto as Vincent pays the man and both leave the house. The walked through the streets until they get to New Gnisis Cornerclub. Once there Vincent sees a guard that patrols the Quarters.

"Do you still look for the serial killer?" asks Vincent.

"Yes, he killed already two women. Why do you have a clue for this case?" asks the guard curious now.

"Yes, it is Calixto he tries to use some old ritual to bring his sister back. He has a diary in his house. Just on your left there is a ladder climb it and a black diary should be there. It explains why he did what he did. I just hope that poor fool doesn't die," says Vincent hoping the guard will do something fast and indeed he did. The guard left immediately to inform the guard captain about it.

Vincent entered the Cornerclub again and joined Mina in their room and says, "How about some fun since if Sofie joins us we won't be able to do it on our way back."

"Alright, but first tell me what you read," says Mina curious to find out what Vincent read in the book.

"How about you first," says Vincent also curious about what she read.

"Fine, I read that my son became the Emperor of Tamriel after the Immortal Dragonking resigned the throne empty after teaching him everything. Now you," says Mina now excited about Vincent's fate to be.

"You are not worried who that Immortal Dragonking might be?" asks Vincent.

"Why should I if only one person comes to my mind," says Mina looking at Vincent.

"Fine, you got me. It was about our first son who took the throne. Then about me, you and another woman called Serana living on the Throat of the World. I didn't continue to read because I wanted to keep the rest secret to myself. Ever heard that things can change if you know too much of the future. It happened once in my world trying to stop the flood of light it only got worse. That's why I didn't continue reading it," says Vincent and Mina hugs him as both lay in bed and begin to make out.

The next morning they heard in the inn from the Dunmers that Calixto was taken to the prison for killing two women and almost a third one if he wasn't stopped on time by the guards. When suddenly a guard came into the Cornerclub with an escort that brought another chest quite bigger than the last one.

"Dragonborn, for protecting the people of Eastmarch not only from a dragon but also from the serial killer now known as Calixto Corrium the Jarl names you Thane of Eastmarch. This chest is a reward for helping us to find the killer. You shall be given a house in Valunstrad once the house is built for you. Just give us some design on how it shall look like and we shall begin to build it," says the guard that was leading the group and read from the document in his hand.

"Well I will send you a design once I made it but for now let me put that away first," says Vincent as the next chest disappears in his bag. The guards leave then and make a small bow towards Vincent before leaving the Cornerclub.

Both leave the Cornerclub after paying Ambarys and walk towards the main gates where they see a little girl with a bag on her back while holding a kitten in her hands.

"So you decide to come with us?" asks Mina, Sofi, who nods.

"But only if my kitten can come too," says Sofie and Vincent takes the kitten and plays with it.

"The little guy shouldn't make much trouble so why not," says Vincent as he looks at Sofie and says, "We only have one rule at home and that is that you can never run away do you understand."

"Yes," says Sofie and Vincent then puts a knee on the ground and takes Sofie in her arms while her kitten was on his helmet. Mina joined them.

"You can now call us Mom and Dad if you want," says Mina.

"Thanks for taking me in. Mom and Dad," says Sofie crying her eyes out.

"Now how about returning home before going to Riverwood," says Vincent excited while washing the tears from Sofie's face.

"Good idea. Lucia must be worried about us," says Mina.

When Sofie asks, "Who is Lucia?"

As they leave the town and Vincent says, "We will tell you on our way home."