All the shops are closed now, and the market is cleared. All that now happens in the streets of Whiterun, is a few guards on patrol on their night shifts.
Without anything interesting to distract me I head directly to 'The bannered mare' and enter.
The inside of the inn is much more lively than the streets, a bard is singing a song called 'Ragnar the red', some drunk warriors sings along heartily while dancing.
They all sang loudly.
"And the braggart named Ragnar was boastful no moore, when his ugly red head rolled around on the floor!"
The people who were seated and eating applauded the warrior singers as they finished the song.
I think I'll wait a little while before introducing me as Ragnar!...
Someone suddenly puts a hand on my shoulder. "There you are! Come, sit down with me."
It was Delphine, already now walking towards the back of the inn, without waiting for my response.
"Hulda, please bring us our food when you're able."
She tells the innkeeper as she passes her.
"Of course Delphine, I'll be there in a moment." Hulda answers.
I follow Delphine to a table set in a corner in the back of the inn, she sits down with her back against the wall, getting an overview over all the doors and everyone who would approach us.
"No rest for the wicked, huh? Got enemies here?" I ask as I place my chair against the wall as well.
"Just an old habit." She answers shortly, still keeping her attention towards the people in the inn.
"Uh-huh..." I reply, not sure if I believe her.
"And who's she, a friend?" I ask gesturing towards Hulda, the innkeeper.
"We're in the same business, so we have made a few trades, and give recommendations to customers for each other."
Delphine says, before sighing deeply.
"I think we've made a mistake Ragnar..."
I raise my eyebrows.
"A mistake? What mistake?"
I ask her, wondering what else mistakes has been done, besides telling the Jarl that I was from Rorikstead.
"Just wait a minute." She answers while pointing at a woman walking towards us, carrying a platter with food and drink.
"Thank you, Saadia."
Delphine say to the woman bringing our food, as she puts the platter down. The platter has 2 big mugs of mead, a roasted, steaming hot chicken, apples and bread.
Saadia was quite attractive, shoulder length dark hair, brown skin, deep blue eyes, and a scar under her left eye seeming to have been left by a wild beast.
The scar didn't make her less attractive, but it was sad to see it marr her face.
"You're welcome, Delphine. If you need anything else, let me know." Saadia say before she walks away again.
"Our mistake was not taking the dead necromancer's robes." Delphine continues.
"Haldric's? Why was that a mistake?" I ask.
Delphine sighs.
"Don't call him by his name, it's better to be detached from someone you've killed, believe me..."
She grabs a mug of mead from the food platter, and takes a big gulp before pushing the platter towards me, I pick up the other mug and have a gulp myself.
I have never tasted mead before, but it's not bad at all!
"What I mean is that we could have used his necromancer robes."
Delphine continues.
"Used them for what?" I ask.
"To get close to the enemy of course! Imagine, they would think you were their ally."
She says, before biting into a red apple.
"Hmmm... It's a good idea, but they would have discovered that I'm an imposter way to quickly, I know nothing about their cult."
I respond, before tearing off a leg from the roasted chicken, it smells wonderful! I haven't eaten all day.
"You don't need to convince them of anything, just make them wonder about you long enough to get close, and finish the job before the fight starts." Delphine points out.
"That... Would have been wonderful... But it's too late now, right?"
I say, before I sink my teeth into the juicy chicken leg, it tastes amazing!
I wonder if Saadia is single! Imagine eating like this everyday!
Delphine thinks for a moment.
"It is unfortunate... But I'm heading back to Riverwood tomorrow morning.
I'll head out into the forest at once when I return there, and I'll find the body if it's not already taken by wolves or a bear.
I'll wash the blood from the robes and stitch together the holes you made in it with your blade."
"I can have it sent to you by courier to Rorikstead, but it won't arrive until atleast a day after you arrive there."
I nod.
"That sounds like a solid plan! Hopefully there isn't a necromancer in Rorikstead yet! I'm still hoping there's time to practice with my spells, to get battle-ready before having to face another necromancer!"
Delphine smirks.
"So you DID learn some spells?... When did you become magically gifted?"
I smirk back at her.
"I won't be useless for much longer!
It happened after we returned to Riverwood after defeating Hald... I mean, the necromancer... It seems like I was blessed by Stendarr, he had wanted me to defeat the necromancer.
A sudden rush of energy welled up inside of me in the evening, that turned out to be magicka."
Delphine's eyes go wide.
"By Stendarr?... Are you sure?..."
I nod.
"Yes, I have already consulted with Danica the priestess, the signs all adds up to that.
Stendarr spoke to me when I got conjured to Skyrim, I didn't want to sound even more crazy than I already did, so I didn't want to tell before now..."
Delphine is silent for a moment, wondering what to make of all this.
"It sounds unbelievable, but due to everything that's happened so far... I believe you."
I lift up my mug and hold it out towards her.
"Then, a toast to you for having a solid plan! Maybe I'll live to see another day, yet again thanks to you!"
Delphine shakes her head, smiling.
But she raise her mug, clashing it against mine. "A toast, to survival!"
We both drink and eat, having our fill, both of us having had a long day.
"Well, I'll be going to get a good night sleep. There room over there is yours."
Delphine says, while pointing at a door.
"You got me a room?..." I ask, a bit surprised.
"Well, we can't have you sleeping out on the streets now, can we? Besides, I'll hold it against you in the future, you owe me!" She says with a big grin.
I chuckle.
"I don't doubt that for a second..."
Delphine heads over to her room, the door next to mine.
I sit and finish my mug, and stuff the rest of the pieces of bread and a few apples into napkin and put it in my backpack.
Saadia notice my empty platter, and comes over to pick it up.
"Will there be anything else tonight, sir?" She asks.
"No thanks, I couldn't afford anything else right now." I say, before thinking.
Unimpressed, she picks up the platter and head back to the kitchen.
"Well played, smartass..." I say to myself, noting that I should be smarter with my words in the future.
I feel kind of tired myself, so I head to my room and lock the door.
I sit down on the bed, and since my magicka is full it would be smart to practice before I become too tired.
I place my palms on my thighs, I cast healing until my magicka is empty, weariness I didn't know I had became clear as it left me.
I still have to think through the process to cast 'healing', I need to practice until I am able to cast the spell instinctively, to become familiar with it.
Get it into my 'Magical muscle memory', as Farengar had said.
I pick up the two spell tomes I've borrowed from him.
"'Lesser ward' and 'Telekinesis'... I'll just read both tonight, Farengar would be pissed but... I'll go with telekinesis first!" I say to myself, chuckling as I open it first.
It was after all his fault for showing it off so much.
The book reads:
Telekinesis - Alteration Magic, Novice Level
"This spell manipulates distant objects by channeling magicka into unseen threads of force that bind matter to your will. Telekinesis requires finesse, intention, and connection."
"To cast Telekinesis, focus on the object you wish to move. You must see it in your line of sight. Weight and distance matter, the bigger and further away the object is, the harder it is to cast and more magicka will be required."
"Draw magicka into your palm, then extend it outward like invincible threads until you connect to the object. If done correctly, you can feel the object through your magicka.
Then lift the object by will and focus.
"Once lifted, maintain the spell to move the object. Wild gestures may scatter your focus and drop the item."
"This spell consumes magicka steadily while active. Interruptions in concentration will cause immediate release. Practice with small, light objects."
"Increased proficiency with the spell will increase your grip strength, reach and how much weight that can be lifted."
"I knew it! This sounds sweet!
But I'm out of magicka, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it out." I tell myself while putting the tome on my bedside table.
I reach for the 'Lesser ward' tome and lay down before letting out a big yawn.
I open it, and start to read.
Lesser Ward - Restoration Magic, Novice Level
"Let your will become a shield... and your magicka...-"
I fall asleep with the tome laying open on my chest.