Exploring Solitude

I wake up feeling 10 years younger, it's amazing what a pretty girl can do to your spirits. 

I make my way downstairs to the dining room and order some eggs and mead. While I eat Corpulus tells me about the different trading stores in Solitude also about the Bard’s College and how to get to the Blue Palace. 
 

Deciding to start my explorations at the traders just outside the Inn I head off.

As I exit the Winking Skeever I bump into Gisli, the sister of Erikur the Thane of Solitude, she seems to think the world revolves around her brother, which is leaving her in the shadows. Sympathizing with her I move on.

Passing by the Outfitters Radiant Rainment, I don’t need any clothing just yet.

 I come to the general trader Bits and Pieces.

 

The woman behind the counter is a Redguard named Sayma and she is married to the local smith Beirand. 

 

Sayma is very friendly and I trade some of my items with her, we chat about the execution as it’s on everyone’s mind. 

Seems the locals are divided as to the justice of it.

 

Across the street is Angeline’s Aromatics, just the place I need to stock up on my ingredients.

On entering I meet a pretty young lady behind the counter whose name is Vivienne Onis, she is the niece of the owner Angeline. I greet her politely and she asks if I saw the execution, ‘Yes’ I reply, not sure if she is for or against it.

‘I think he deserved to die for helping Ulfric escape’ she announces in return.

‘You may be right’ I reply in a non-committal way, not wanting to offend her.

'This must be your Aunt’ nodding my head respectfully at the older woman that was standing next to Vivienne.

‘Can I help you’ Angeline Morrard asks.

‘I need some ingredients and training if possible?’

‘I can’t assist in your training young man but I can sell you herbs and potions if you desire’ Angeline replies. 

We trade for some new ingredients I have not seen before and I ask permission to use her alchemy table. Permission granted I start to experiment with the new ingredients and thankfully this time my eyebrows remain intact.

 After about an hour at the alchemy bench I say my goodbyes and leave the shop.

The next stop the smith.

I greet Bierand warmly and we exchange some news and I deduce that he is clearly in favour of 'The Empire' running things. 

I ask permission to use his forge and buy some steel ingots from him. These I keep for later.

My next stop is the Fletcher just next door to Beirand.

Fihada another Redguard, seems to be a few in Solitude, is the owner of the store.

After we exchange greetings he curiously asks me if I am after some dragon-slaying arrows, declining his offer I wonder who he thinks I am.

Does he know me perhaps? 

‘Have you seen me before?’ I ask hurriedly.

‘Never in my life’ he replies looking up from his seat to get a better look at me.

My hopes dashed I mutter ‘I’ll take my leave then’ in return.

Outside I walk down the stone ramp wondering if I am ever going to find out about my past. At the bottom of the ramp I see a square filled with stalls, it must be the Market area. I head toward it.

The first stall is the Fishmonger Advarr. I discover that it was his wife’s brother they executed; he tells me that he is focusing on providing for his family as best he can during these tough times. I offer my condolences and move on.

The next stall is Jala’s Fresh Produce. 

She greets me by telling me that I could do with a ripe apple because one a day will keep me healthy.

‘I’ll take six then’ I reply not wanting to succumb to any sudden illness.

Jala laughs at my joke but insists I buy some apples anyway. I ask about her life and she tells me that the Stromcloaks killed her Brother, another 'Empire' supporter here, but who can blame her. For the second time this morning I offer my condolences and move on.

The last stall in the market is the wine merchant.

Evette San tells me that she has a particular family recipe for spiced wine that I cannot get from anywhere else. 
Intrigued I ask for a sample to taste.
‘Heavenly’, ‘I’ll take two bottles please.’
Paying for the wine Evette asks if I can help her with a problem she is having with one of her shipments down at the docks. 

As I am planning on visiting the docks anyway I agree to speak to the customs to find out what the issue is.

I say ‘goodbye’ relieved that I do not have to offer my condolences to anyone again.

Marching off with my spiced wine firmly tucked under my arm I pass through an archway which reveals some lovely views of the city.

I continue walking down the stone street and pass the Hall of the Dead. I wonder if there are more skeletons down in the crypts, a chill passes down my spine. I take solace in the sword hanging by my side and walk on.

I pass the Bards College and continue until I come to the Blue Palace.

It is a magnificent building and on entering I see that it is just as majestic on the inside. 

Hearing much commotion I follow the noise up some stairs and see what must be the Jarl on the High Seat and several important people surrounding what looks like a messenger.

I overhear the messenger tell the court about some ‘unnatural magic’s’ coming from a place known as Wolfskull Cave. 

The Queen promises to ‘send a legion to scour the cave’.

Convinced the problem will be dealt with swiftly he departs.

In my curiosity I unknowingly moved nearer the edge of the gathering. 

I see an advisor looking directly at me, as I wonder what he is thinking I hear him persuading the Queen to send a small party to investigate the cave to be a better option. My eyes bulge, I hope he is not referring to me!

I am not going near some witch infested cave! Backing away as fast as possible I exit the building thanking Talos that I made it outside without getting mixed up with that craziness.

Enough exploring for one day, I head back to the Winking Skeever to enjoy my spiced wine.

Renting a room and ordering some roast venison to go with my spiced wine I take a seat nearby and listen to Lisette the bard, sing my favourite tune with that beautiful soothing voice of hers.

After eating half a roast leg of venison washed down with a bottle of the spiced wine I am ready to hit my bed, my head feels light and legs heavy as I struggle to coordinate then to make my way up the stairs.

Gratefully I fall into bed, another day over but still no closer to my goal.

Solitude

After a long and uncomfortable trip in the back of the carriage I finally arrive at the front gates of Solitude.

Its early evening as I enter the city only to be greeted by a public execution. 

The execution is well attended by the cities inhabitants although there are mixed feelings about the justice being served out. A few questions directed at the spectators reveal that the unfortunate, soon to be headless, Roggvir helped the Nord’s New High King escape the city after defeating the old High King in single combat. The execution proceeds swiftly ending with the bloody head of Roggvir rolling onto the flagstones.

Pretty hectic first impression of Solitude, nothing says stay out of trouble like a public execution.

Tired from my journey I look for the nearest Inn, luckily I don’t need to walk far as it’s just across the square from the execution. The sign outside the entrance reads The Winking Skeever, not much of a welcoming name in my opinion.

I open the door and to my surprise the place looks pretty good, not a skeever in sight.

The Inn keep Corpulus Vinius greets me cheerfully; I respond in kind and ask for the days specials, hoping that skeever is not on the menu. I order some roast and lots of ale to wash away the taste of the road. Corpulus entertains me with the tale of how the Inn got its name, as a boy he had a skeever as a pet and it used to wink at him, so that’s how he came up with the name. I am relieved because I was imagining giant skeevers running around at night eyeing up the lodgers for dinner and winking to their friends when they found a suitable candidate for dinner.

I pay for a room and enjoy my dinner on the landing overlooking the main dining hall. The bard is singing in the most beautiful voice and by the look of her she is pretty good herself. 

Dinner finished and my spirits much improved I head down the stairs to take a closer look at the bard and meet some of the patrons.

Corpulus introduces me to his son Sorex Vinius who declares his intention of taking over the business on his father’s retirement. 

Jawanan is an apprentice Fletcher from Hammerfell and remarks that ‘a well-made arrow strikes forth like the fury of a god’ and I believe him.

The bard announces she is taking her break and walks upstairs to her room, I follow her.

On the landing I come across Jorn, also a bard, who is attending the Bards College here in Solitude. He mumbles something about a Festival of the Burning of King Olaf but my mind is elsewhere. 

I excuse myself from Jorn wanting to finally meet the beautiful woman with the voice of honey.

Smoothing down my hair and putting on my best smile I greet her warmly, her name is Lisette and she is a Breton. I compliment her on her voice; in return she gives me a smile that could melt the coldest snow-covered mountain-top in Skyrim. My wits gone I blabber on about her singing and she knowingly replies ‘being surrounded by good music, good drink and good friends is all I’ve ever asked for’.

I think I’m in love. Uttering some nonsensical goodbye I retreat to my room before I embarrass myself any further.

It’s been a long day and I fall asleep thinking of love and the possibility of me already having a wife waiting for me somewhere that I can’t remember.