"Tell me child, did you like Windhelm?" asked Maven Black-Briar
Her voice soft, almost comforting. Something completely and utterly in juxtaposition to her actual character and means
"It has its problems, but much better than the rat infested city you rule from the comfort of your plush and king sized bed. And stop speaking to me with that tone, it's disgusting" replied Volfir harshly
Though his demeanour calm, both of them knew, that he was trying his best not to bash her head in and the fact that he didn't was a tell-tale sign of how much authority the despicable woman actually had in the cold lands of Skyrim
"You are mistaken, I am but a Matriarch of a single Clan, the Jarl is Laila Law-Bringer, she is responsible for the city's growth" the middle aged woman continued the conversation
Her posture relaxed in the comfort of her large seat and an equally large table. Her expressions all smiles and winks, as she continued playing around the young man seated across
Due to the difference in size of the chairs, although Volfir was of a bigger stature than Maven, he found himself slightly looking up while talking to the woman
"What growth?" the youth almost growled
"One that a Nord of humble background would never notice" Maven quipped back, enjoying Volfir's reactions
"Enough! Why have you decided to see me, despicable woman?"
The young man almost lost his composure, but was able to collect himself by the end of the asked question
"Why, for your next assignment of course~" she drew out her sentence, clearly enjoying the feeling of being a higher existence than the humble warrior before her
"Then get on with it" Volfir said as he closed his eyes
"Some Stendarr brutes have intimidated me into selling a ruined Fortress in our wonderful province" the woman started speaking, but took a pause at the end
After several seconds of silence, Volfir had to open his eyes, knowing she would draw out his suffering if he didn't pay attention
"And what has that to do with me? I am not attacking the Vigilants, I would rather seek death by other means" he calmly said with a slight smile
"Oh, I would never wish harm upon you dear, it's just that they were scary that I find Maul insufficient as my escort, while we are concluding the deal" she giddily continued her words
"You wish me to be your guard?"
Volfir found the assignment too easy, the Vigilants would never harm a soul other than Daedra, besides most know not to mess with the woman in front of him
The subtle undertones of scheming blissfully passing by his mind, as he was not exactly politically inclined and too focused on finishing the assignments in order to go back to Whiterun
"Of course dear, with you by my side I would never feel threatened" Maven answered with a sweet yet acidic tone, 'and everybody else will see that I have you under my thumb', she finished her thought
"I can do that" Volfir nodded, feeling something amiss, but ignoring the subtle undertones of danger
"Wonderful! The meeting is to occur in two weeks, but we have to get the papers ready, it will be very busy… Many don't want the Fort to be sold, so I am afraid of being assassinated or poisoned…"
Volfir's forehead ticked with frustration, understanding what she was getting at, besides how many did not wish to silence the woman in front of him…
"... so it would be best to start from this moment, just in time for my meeting with the Jarl's counsel~" the woman finished speaking
"Then let's go, don't waste the Jarl's time" the youth quipped a comment
'Boy, even if I am late, the one apologising would be that idiot Laila' Maven thought to herself, but raised from her seat nonetheless
Motioning for him to follow along, they left the Black-Briar estate, their destination - the Jarl's Keep
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.
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"Forgive me for my tardiness" the Matriarch spoke once she entered the decorated halls of the Keep
"Don't worry about it, my friend, it is I who is sorry for keeping you away from important matters" the older Jarl spoke
Volfir wore a confused frown, not understanding why the Law-Bringer was apologising to the Matriarch, besides wasn't it Maven who was the reason the meeting was taking place anyway?
"Yes, it would be best to finish this deal quickly" the Black-Briar spoke and with her words, the counsel started scrambling about, getting papers and charcoal ready
"As you say, my friends" Laila Law-Bringer added
Volfir became even more confused, he thought that Maven was manipulating and doing vulgar things from the shadows, while escaping judgement because of lacking evidence
He couldn't understand why Maven spoke with authority, while the Jarl just added comments in her own Keep!
"Volfir, dear, seat beside me" the Matriarch grabbed his attention when she grabbed his shoulder and led him to be seated before the counsel, while the burly, black haired man by the name of Maul stayed standing behind them
Shrugging of the woman's hand, Volfir sat down and looked at the others seated in front of him, their looks of realisation and understanding were confusing him even further than he already was
'What's up with their faces' he thought, but couldn't continue his train of thoughts, as the session started
"The man named Isran and his Stendarr followers were previously Vigilants stationed in Skyrim, but due to some kind of falling out their group is no longer with them" spoke up a Bosmer woman, the Jarl's Steward
"They were..? How interesting… have we found out why they wish to purchase the ruined Fort?" spoke up Maven in contemplation
"Yes, the man wishes to establish a new faction, called the Dawnguard, they are vampire hunters" spoke up another counsellor
Volfir perked up his ears, the Dawnguard name gnawing at his brain with familiarity, but the prospect of being vampire hunters was painting a rather noble and grandiose picture
"Fools running after glory then?" concluded Maven
"On the contrary, they were rather unspoken about their aims and endeavours, I believe they wish to restore the Fort first and recruit later" commented Laila
"How is that not glory hunting?" scoffed Maven, but Laila didn't take offense and smiled
"They wish to be guards and saviors of mortals, unlike other Nords, their Vigilante upbringing paints them more as Breton knights, than glory savages like the companions" the Jarl said
Volfir grew displeased at the quip at his friends, but couldn't argue, so he let the comment go
Most councillors looked at his expressions and awaited an argument, but were surprised to see the young man keep his words
"Good job, dear" Maven patted his shoulder a few times and swiftly took away her hand, before Volfir could scowl and shrug it off
'What in Oblivion's name is her problem?!' the young man fumed in his head, while directing his piercing gaze at the side of the woman's face, who was smiling and ignoring him
'Ooooh' everybody in the Keep collectively came to the same conclusion, of Volfir acting under Maven's orders
While the youth returned his attention to the counsel, not wishing to disturb the work of a respected Jarl, completely oblivious to what his actions in the despicable woman's presence were interpreted as
The Jarl nodded at Maven in thanks, for keeping her new subordinate in check and stopping him from disregarding her authority, as the young man's foolish act of harming an important Riften merchant was a hard-spoken fact of his rebellious nature
Maven's smile only grew wider as she nodded in return, while Volfir was feeling rather awkward with the newly settled silence as the people in the Keep kept glancing around a softly whispering among themselves
"Back to that man named Isran… have we found out if he has enough funds to make the purchase?" Maven backtracked to the topic at hand
"It seems that his group does indeed have enough, but barely, so if we higher the price on the Fort, we could perhaps use their manpower and employ them to do our bidding" answered the steward
Before Volfir could argue against the unjust act, the Black-Briat matriarch spoke up
"That would be unwise…"
Volfir looked at her in surprise, did the woman mellow out and become a just Nord?
"... so we should sell the Fort at the stated price, but they don't have enough funds to repair it, don't they?" her previously wide smile grew wicked, as she started shuffling her fingers as if feeling the septims in her grasp
"You mean to keep the neutral business relationship with this sell, thus not angering them and using this as a ploy to employ them, as they work to save enough money for the repairs?" the steward openly conversed with the Matriarch, instantly understanding her aims
Maven nodded, while Volfir rolled his eyes at himself for even thinking that the woman could change her nature, she would never… even if there was a divine intervention
"Very well, I agree that this would be best and just at the same time" the older Jarl spoke up, clapping her hands, as her aides got to work manuscripting today's conclusion
"How about staying for dinner my friend?" she then asked Maven
"I'm sorry Jarl Laila, I am too busy and have to return my work" the Matriarch answered humbly, none of her previous authority seeping through the words
"That's a shame, next time then" the Jarl concluded the council, making everybody scuffle to their feet and start running around doing their work
"Next time it is" Maven smiled and also rose to her feet, along with Volfir who found himself bored and detached from the situation
"Let's go my guards, we have a meeting to prepare for" she said
'Why does she keep commenting on these things?' Volfir thought to himself, feeling the glances directed at his back, as they left the Keep