Skogurheim: Ivarstead, Skyrim

-= The Next Morning =-

We all woke an hour before dawn broke. Fenik got started on breakfast while the rest of us got straight to work on the exterior walls. Much to Feniks chagrin we ended up working straight through breakfast and completed both of the last 2 exterior first floor walls by noon, took a brief moment have a bite of cold breakfast for lunch then went right back to it and finished the initial horizontal set of boards to form the roof then finished a second layer of diagonal boards to complete the roof entirely. Seems when you tell men who have been freezing their arses off in a tent for the last month and a half that ty will get to move inside once they finish the damn house it lights a fire under their frozen asses...

As the sun went down Fenik had a hell of a fire going in the stone fireplace, James and Anorien, had boarded up the windows, Eol, Richard, Frage and even the pup worked to haul all of our gear into the house while i cobbled together a pair of doors for the frunt and back of the house. Once all the Gear was finally inside the men helped get the doors secured to their frames properly barred in place.

Dropping the bar in place to secure the front door the men around me let out a hoot of success and began to toast the house, "LEGITUS, Legitus whats this houses name? You must name it to make it a home!" James called out.

Letting out a sigh of pride I took a pint of hot mead, and raised it high "To Skogurheim, to Skogurheim, the 913th who gave it its name, and to those of the 47th who helped build it!"

They all cheered and tipped back their pints. As we all finished our pints I put went over to my bunk and began to pack some things.

"Hoy Legitus what are you packing for?" Fenik asked.

"Well Fenik, now that we've used up the bulk of the boards getting this far its time to go pick up more supplies, Im sure youve noticed the food and mead getting a might bit thin in comparison aye?"

"Oh... right. I was gunna say somethin..."

"Haha I know you were, any ways Ill be taking James and Anorien along with me down to Riften in the morning to pick up some food stores, more wood, a couple barrels of nails, windows, and some extra blankets and some damned cots. Im sick of sleeping on the ground."

"Oh. Yer keepin the pup here aye?"

"Well. I suppose I could, if you dont think she'll be too much trouble."

"Oh no Legitus shes no troubles! Fenik like havin puppy around!"

"HAHAHA alright alright I'll leave the puppy here." i turned to Anorien and whispered, "remind me to pick up another puppy for Fenik would you?"

He nodded and replied softly so Fenik wouldnt overhear, "Aye sir."

"RIGHT James, Anorien lets get our gear and provisions packed up, Eol you get some sleep as youve been up now for almost two days. Seriously mate, you need to sleep more, your starting to look like a raccoon. Frage you take first watch. Richard you follow after. As for work to be completed while were gone I want the inner walls up, I want them insulated with the sand from that mountain of sand bags outside, please make sure the walls are sealed tight and that the sand is dry when it is poured into the wall. Eol i know your a perfectionist so that will be left to you to over see... Alright gentlemen, you have your orders. I would like to see them fulfilled to the best of the Dwemerian capabilities, is that understood?!"

They all responded with a resounding "AYE SIR!" and thumped their right fist into their open left palm bowing their heads in Legion fashion and went about their tasks.

After collecting a fair sized pair of bags full of gems to pay or everything I lay back in my bedroll to try and get some rest. After tossing and turning for a couple of hours I sat up to find both James and Anorien sitting by the fire talkin softly. I stood up and stepped up behind them, "Cant sleep gentlemen?"

They both looked over their shoulders at me and shook their heads, "No sir Legitus. We try but we just cant seem to fall asleep."

"Nor can I... with Skogurheim so close to completion all I can think about is getting it finished."

"What should we do sir?"

"Well as of right now im about ready to say to hell with it and saddle up Mace and shove off. What do you two think?"

They looked at each other and shrugged, "Let us grab our packs and we'll be right behind you sir."

And so we all got up and gathered our gear. I forsook my normal travel armor in favor of the heavy Winter armor, strapped on my ebon basket-hilted broadsword, my quarrel of bolts, the "Nordic Iron Dragon" shield, took up my crossbow, pack, and the sleeping puppy and thumped over to Fenik, "Fenik. Wake up."

"Eh, wha, whoz'er, eh...OH Legitus, what are you doin up? Is it mornin already?"

"No Fenik. Its near midnight, here you keep an eye on my pup, James, Anorien, and I are heading out early as we cant sleep."

He took the sleeping pup and lay back placing her on his chest and pulling the blankets up over her and softly saluted, "Safe travels then sir. Yer pup is safe wit me."

I chuckled softly, "Haha I know Fenik, I know. Watch over things around here. You may not be the brightest candle in the bunch but you are the steadiest flame. Im counting on you to keep things moving, and keep things civil. If Eol starts getting uppity youve got my permission to bundle him up and hang him upside down from one of the rafters until he calms down, ok?"

With a delighted grin he nodded, "Aye sir."

"Haha dont make me regret this Fenik..."

"Never sir."

"Good, sleep well."

"May Talos and Stendarr bless you with safe travels, sir."

I smiled and thumped over to where Richard stood beside the door, "Keep the place safe friend," I clapped him on the shoulder and stepped out into the cold, as he closed and secured the door behind me. I tossed my pack to Anorien who secured it in the trunk behind the seat and hauled myself up onto the back of the sleigh and whistled. James set Mace off slow until we made it through the gate, which Anorien sealed behind us, then climbed over the outer wall leapt down next to me hopped over the seat and took up his place beside James, Nocked an arrow as I nocked a bolt and we raced off towards riften under the light of the full moon.

After hours of arctic air our sleigh approached the gates of Riften as the sun rose over the mountains to the East. We had made great time despite the lack of sun. Mace moved through the night like a bolder down the side of a mountain, stoping for nothing, like he owned the roads.

We pulled up before the City stables and collected our packs from the trunk.

"Uh Legitus... you are going to remove that armor right?" James asked.

"Why ever would I do that, Legionnaire?"

"Well sir, uh Riften is primarily a Wooden city..."

I turned and looked over my shoulder at him, "What fool builds a city of wood?"

"Uh Riften is kinda a new city... Only existed maybe 150 years sir."

I gave him a flat annoyed look, "Well theyd best hope I dont fall through then... Or ill be taking our materials AND my money with us on our way back..."

James and Anorien looked at one another knowing they couldnt win this arguement and just gave up following along behind, watching as around each of my steps a small cloud of snow erupted, turing to James, Anorien whispered, "We may want to hang back a bit Aedra only knows how much of the walk way may give way..."

James fought a snicker as I stepped up to the gate guard, "Morning soldier, we seek entrance to the city so we can purchase some supplies."

"Right sir, right... Once you pay the visitors tax youll be free to enter the city..."

"Visitors tax eh? One moment let me see if I can find my coin purse... How much is the tax exact-" Looking up at the guard he seemed rather smug not a moment before the back of my fist connected with his jaw, James and Anorien stood stock still, mouths hanging open.

"It'll be a cold day in the Deadlands when I pay to enter a damned city you penny pinching thief!" I looked at the other guard with a hard glare and he simply unlocked the gates stepped back out of the way with his hands up and let me through, James and Anorien followed along behind closely looking at each other then the guard who lay dazed on the ground and then back at me, each silently vowing never to get on my badside, "Right gentlemen first lets make our way to the Lord or Lady of the hold and inform them of the nair do wells they have guarding their gates, then we find the garrison and select our bunks, once we do that we will find an eatery and break our fast, and then... well we get to work and find our suppliers. RIGHT MOVE OUT!"

With that I spun on my heel and stomped of into the wooden city.

As I walk through the city I cant help but feel a bit uncomfortable as the walkways flex beneath my heavy steel shod feet. I pause in the middle of the square and looked about noticing an old man huddled within a stack of crates, "Good sir, where might I find this city's Jarl?"

Between chattering teeth he points in the direction of the keep. I pulled an amethyst from one of the purses and handed it to James, "Good sir, take this man to a merchant he will buy you some proper winter clothing," turning to James I inform him, "whatever is left, put towards food for the man. if there is enough rent him a room for the night."

I stand there watching as James follows behind the now ecstatic old man waiting until theyre out of earshot, and ranted in a hushed tone, "Anorien... this city is a bloody death trap.... I've nearly fallen through the damned board twice now!"

"Well sir, we did ask if you were going to remove the armor..."

Glaring at him I admitted my fault, "Aye you did didn't you... alright alright... find me a safe route if you can."

"There isn't one sir. Mistvail Keep is just across the way. If you're careful you should be ok..."

"UGH. You're a cold man Anorien has anyone told you that?"

"A couple of people aye..."

I crunched my way over the snow and ice coating the stone of the central square and eased my weight onto the boards of the bridge over the near frozen waterway some 12 feet below. I took one step at a time while Anorien stood back fighting to keep his laughter at bay. With each step the wood bent and squealed and cracked in protest. I was nearly over the bridge, one foot on, one foot nearly on solid ground once more when my luck nearly abandoned me. I had one hand on the bridges end post as the board beneath my foot snapped in half. My heart dropped to my stomach in a near instant. My hand gripped the post tight enough to crush a skull as the one foot previously held over the solid stone crashed into place. Placing both hands on the end post I hauled myself to safety and glared at Anorien, "YOU FUCKING KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN DIDNT YOU! YOU KNEW THIS CITY WAS A DAMN DEATHTRAP ADMIT IT!"

"I knew it was mostly constructed of wood yes but I thought everyone knew that! Werent you here when you purchased the land for your house!?"

"NO! I was in Shor's Stones! That's where the damned official was that week! He was inspecting a plot of land to build a new inn!"

"I.... oh. Sorry sir I didn't know."

"Anorien... If I hadn't promised your Commander to return you in half way decent shape I would break every one of your bones right about now...."

"Thank god you promised him then..."

"Oh shut up and get over here... We've got plenty of shit to do, and I want it done in as little time as possible."

"Aye sir I'm coming."

The damned Elf sauntered over the bridge and lead the way to the Keep while I thumped heavily along behind him muttering under my breath about the things I would like to do to this death trap of a city...

Climbing the stairs to the Keep I nod to the guards on duty outside the Keep, "Friends, I seek a word with your Jarl, where might I find him?"