Not Alone (A Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

     When I went back to the Cistern the very same day and told Brynjolf and Delvin I had to go back to Solitude immediately they both looked at me like I had told them I wanted to wear a mudcrab on my head.  I didn't blame them, either, seeing as we had kind of just escaped from there.  The more I read Ulfric's letter, however, the more convinced I became that whatever was going on was something I needed to know about.

     "Are you sure, lad?  I know that you know it's best to give a city you've hit recently a few weeks at least to let it settle down," Brynjolf reminded me while trying to make it seem like he wasn't criticizing my methods.

     "Yes, I know.  I can't wait even a few days.  The guards there never saw my face and there's no way they would connect me to Delvin and Aetra's escape."  I was impatient to be gone, even though I knew spending a couple minutes explaining things to them wouldn't really make a difference.

     "If you would explain just what is so important that you have to run off like a startled colt, maybe we could help you," Delvin suggested.  "Does it have something to do with Miraak?"  I glanced at him sharply, and he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.  "Vex told me what happened on Solstheim while we were waiting for you to get back."

     "I don't know.  Probably not."  It was a good question though.  What if Miraak had launched a dragon attack on a city or something?  But no, that made no sense.  If there had been a dragon attack Ulfric would have summoned the Dragonborn, not a Stormcloak general. 

     "You don't know?"  Brynjolf raised his eyebrows.  "You don't even know why you're going to Solitude, and yet you're about to tear off with no explanation?"

     I shuffled my feet impatiently.  I didn't want to explain the note and my reasoning to them, not because I didn't trust them with the information but because I felt like there was no time.  "I got a summons from High King Ulfric, and it was written by him personally.  I have reason to believe that I need to ride to the Blue Palace as soon as possible."

     "You have 'reason to believe'?" Delvin echoed.  "Well, that makes perfect sense."

     By the Divines, this summons had better really be worth this argument.  "I can't really explain, I just need to go," I insisted.  My shoulder abruptly gave a sharp twinge and I started distractedly massaging it again.

     "If you're going back to Solitude you should at least let one of us ride with you," Brynjolf suggested.  "Not to interfere, but to let the Guild know if something goes wrong."

     I stopped instantly.  "What could possibly go wrong with me going to Solitude to answer a summons from the High King?  Anyway, Gulum-Ei can provide any information you'll need," I pointed out.

     "Fine.  Will you at least take Aetra with you?" Brynjolf asked. 

     Startled, I glanced around to make sure no one else was in earshot of our conversation.  "I thought you didn't trust her.  Why do you suddenly want to send her to Solitude with me?"

     "Because I can handle this search better if she's not in Riften to look over my shoulder, and Delvin found her a job in Whiterun," Brynjolf stated.  "She would just be riding with you until you get there.  Delvin," he shot a look at the thief, "thinks she's not a threat.  I still think she's hiding something."

     "Then why do you want to send her with me?  She could just as easily leave a day or two after me and reach Whiterun just fine."  Brynjolf was really up-in-arms about Aetra.