[MARLON JOHNSON]

A guard of Valton, the barracks, midday.

"Damn wolves." The guard muttered as he down another mug of mead. He knew he shouldn't be drinking while he still had guard-duty left for the day, but he needed to calm his nerves. The other guards laughed at his fear for wolves and even for dogs. There was something about their eye and fur, and of course the teeth, that made the guard shiver. He tried to empty the mug again in one sweep, but it was to his surprise already empty. He sat there, mug over his head, upside down, trying to get something out of it. Just then he heard the door open and quickly threw the mug away and tried to look as neutral as he could. He'd expected a guard to enter, but instead it was that hunter guy.
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"Greetings Guardsman, I wonder if you can offer some advice to an old hunter. Have any of your brothers in arms reported any information on the wolves from last night? I plan on offering my services to your Jarl and any prior knowledge on numbers or sightings would be appreciated."
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The chat of wolves angered the drunken guard, but also made his cautious, as if they could be around any corner. He stood up from the comfortable, hard wooden chair he'd been sitting on, swaying back and forth only a little and said louder than he'd thought;
"If we have? IF..." He said, the last word almost a scream, cut short by a few violent coughs and a loud hiccup. "...Damn wolves slaughtered a dozen caravans just north from here 'tis morning!" He said while waving his hands about, pointing into an unspecific direction that most likely wasn't north. "Then they attacked a hundred horses outside and killed all but five of them!" He said and grabbed Roymund by his tunic, pulling the man closer. His breath probably stank like Sheogorath's most expensive cheese as he spoke to Roymund, only inches from his face, "They'll kill us all I'm telling you! I'm not going outside dammit!" With that, he let go of Roymund and fell backwards on the floor. A couple of seconds later he looked up and was surprised to see Roymund standing there.
"Oh did you need something ahemmhumm?" He let out another series of coughs and a loud hiccup, slowly pulling himself up on the chair he'd originally been sitting on. He looked for a mug of mead but couldn't see one.
"Hey be a nice fella and bring me a mug of mead. I'm thirsty!"


*** *** ***


Gorbad Yak-Bogadbu, his forge --> Hela's Folly, midday.

Now that Leandra had gone, Gorbad found himself without customers or anyone to talk to. His stomach on the other hand demanded attention. Now would be as good a time as any to grab something to eat. The supplies from the farmer would be nice for a meal. Gorbad sliced the apple into 16 small bits, the carrot into 12 small bits, pured half a mug of milk to himself and put a tomatoe on the plate. He wasn't going to cut that in half, since he figured it'd just explode all over the place. Nothing dramatic happened for the duration of the meal, but he did miss some kind of meat with this. It didn't feel right to eat only vegetables.

He vaguely remembered that he was to meet Nellis at the inn after breakfast, and here he was eating dinner! He quickly finished the meal and closed the door to his house. "I hope Nellis hasn't waited too long.." He said while he walked over the inn. Inside, a very empty room greeted him. Apparent from a newcomer he hadn't seen before, and that imperial high-profile figure, the inn was empty. It was, in fact, so empty that there wasn't even a barkeep there. At least Nellis wasn't waiting for him. But that meant he'd have to wait for Nellis. "Might as well grab a mug of ale." Gorbad figured and walked over to the counter. No barkeep there, but there was ale on the other side. With a quick look around to check no-one was looking, the old blacksmith walked around the counter and grabbed two empty mugs and a bottle of ale. He left twelve septims on the spot the ale had been on, figuring it'd be enough to make the sneaky theft somewhat legal. Gorbad then seated himself at an empty table near the door, poured a quarter of a mug of ale for himself and waited for Nellis to arrive.

[Jade MacSpade]

Gawain, Outside the Keep, Midday

As Roymund mentioned his possible inability to purchase the hound and also his current living situation, the Nibenese placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now, what friend would I be if I charged a friend the regular price? Alas, for the extent of this discount will wait until we can seal the deal with a drink, but I look forward to our meeting this afternoon. Good day, friend." The same feeling that the hunter had felt in his stomach, that of hunger, seemed to be contagious, as Gawain soon felt the same rumbling in his own stomach. Walking around to the back of the wagon, he opened one of the packs and pulled out several strips of jerky. When he did so, every canine nose went on high alert and tongues were licking lips in every cage. Once he had finished his own few strips of deer jerky, he reached into another pack, this one entirely full of small cubes of jerky and a few different kinds of cubed vegetables. The sniffing and licking increased twofold, as the dogs recognized the smell as their food, and Gawain began to open the cages, one by one, giving two handfuls of the mixture to each one.

Once those dogs were fed, he pulled out three bowls and filled them as well, placing them near the front wheel, each meant for one of the three non-caged dogs. Finally, only one of his animals was left to feed, the wolf pup. Returning to the back of the wagon, he opened a smaller cage and unwrapped the little fellow from his blankets, whispering to him in Nibenese the whole time. The wolf was only a few weeks old, but was growing fast. Fast enough, in fact, that he would soon be able to start running around with the rest of the pack. Granted, he would still be in the stage where he absolutely melted even the coldest of hearts, but he was growing. Until that time though, Gawain continued to feed him little pieces of the kibble one at a time and by hand, even though the little guy couldn't seem to get enough.

After the midday feeding of all of the dogs was done, Gawain decided to see what the issue was with his audience with the Jarl. The odd, old Dunmer had already been pulled inside by his Dwarven spider and pulled back out, and the Orc's had already been hauled off to the dungeons, so the Nibenese decided to approach a guard. After all, what right had they to unnecessarily hold up a Prince? And so he approached one of the few guards remaining outside the gate of the keep. "Excuse me, sir, but I would like an audience with the Jarl concerning citizenship and also possibly helping with the wolf situation. If you would be so kind as to let them know, I would appreciate it." The Nibenese typically did not like having to be nice and use so many words with people, but he found that with your average person, like the hunter, Roymund, and probably this guard, it would go a long way. He hoped.

[Alyna]

A guard of Valton and Alfhed, outside the keep, midday.

The drama outside the keep had finally difused somewhat peacefully, although they hadn't seen that blasted dunmer sneak into the keep. It was only when they saw him exit that the guards realised it. Now there wasn't many citizens or guard outside the keep at all. Merely that redguard who'd taken the guards side, something which the guards would remember, as well as a newcomer with a lot of dogs.

The dog-keeper newcomer took a step forward and asked about the Jarl. The very reason that started the whole drama outside. At this point, Alfhed had come back out again. "You should probably talk to him instead of the Jarl. He's quite busy right now." The guard nodded towards the young scribe, not to be polite, but to point to the dog-guy who to talk to. None of the guards had particularily high feelings for the scribe. There was a reason most of them knew him as "Milk-Drinker" and not as Alfhed. The young scribe walked up to Gawain and said with as much authority as he could gather after being ignored twice in a row earlier,

"We have cozy house near the general-store that is for sale if you're interested. Very affordable, merely a thousand septims." He nodded to himself as he began writing the base information of the house-owndership. "As for the wolves, the Jarl hasn't really had time to think about what to do yet. A bounty for any wolves you slay could be offered, but I'm afraid I can't promise anything right now." He said with his young-boy voice.

***

Meanwhile, the guard had moved closer to the redguard. "You handled yourself well outlander." he said with a smile on his face to the redguard. "Have you thought of joining the guards? We could use someone like you." He held his hand out for a handshake.

[Sweet Blighty]

Roymund Inventius, Guard barracks. Midday.

Roymund remained startled from the guards movements, looking down at him as he sprawled out drunkenly on the floor of the barracks. The hunter had been unable to make half of what the Nord had said, and those few words he made out contained very little sense. "Hundred horses? Suppose that explains the injured one sprawled out by the priest, though the amount seems alittle trastic. Was likely ten." thought the hunter in a vain attempt to apply logic to the Nords confusing ramblings. "Uh.. Very well, my thanks brave guardsman." said Roymund, offering an over enthusiastic smile in accompanyment. "Your captains down the Jarls keep, may be worth trying to sober up before he returns." The Imperial turned on his heels, and walked back out onto Valtons streets.

"So much for Alguidars famed warrior-sons of Skyrim.. Lets hope Annika has found the fig sap amongst her wares" thought Roymund as he walked across the street and into the General Store once again. "Ah you're back" greeted the Nordic lady, holding a small vial in her hands "Just found it. Decided to hide behind a pile of furs." she offered a smile. Roymund approached the counter, picking up a small loaf of bread as he walked. "Grand, then how much all together?" asked the Imperial, returning the smile. Eventually Roymund handed over a handfull of coins, Alguidar had been correct in assuming the price of his sap and the loaf was a mere two coins itself. "Many thanks, I'll see you soon." he offered a polite nod in his usual manner and exited the building.

"Ah, atleast thats one thing ticked off the list." he told himself, casting a look back at Gudslott Hall. Gawain had taken up conversation with a welldressed youngster "Likely the Jarls son." assumed Roymund. He stomach gave off another rumble as the smell of food from inside Annika's store caught up with him. "Eggy bread" mumbled Roymund, a grin appearing across his face. He set off at a fair pace towards Alguidars farm, hoping they'd have atleast one spare egg on the table once he arrived.

[Bad News Rogers]

Danus Maximus. Helas Folly. Midday,

After spending some time thinking of a public speech, I finally got it. I exited the inn and noticed there are dozens of civilians walking around. I looked around for a good place to begin the speech. Once I found a suitable place near the inn, I began the speech.

"People of Valton! Skyrim is a divided country! Your sons and daughters are spilling their own blood!" The majority began looking at me.

"And for what!? Just so the man in Windhelm can rule the throne of your country!? The Empire may be hated in Skyrim, but Ulfruc himself is a power hungry fool using the ban of Talos to justify his petty war for the throne! Ulfric had slaughtered Reachmen and Nordic alike in the Markath Incident! He had killed your king! He has pillaged villages and sent young Men and Women to die for a pathetic cause! The jarl of this hold may want to stay out of this war! And Understandably so! But you do not realize that eventually Ulfric will send his men to Valton! He will replace your Jarl with a puppet! He will loot this Town! He will take all of the Crops and risk you all starving just so he can supply his men! Just like what he did to the other towns and Village! If you side with the Empire! The Legion will secure your borders! Make travel on the road safer! Protect this hold from Ulfric! And the Fastened the progress of the reunification of Skyrim!"

I waited for some type of reply.