Markarth still had Imperial troops on the streets, intermingled with the Hold Guard. Many familiar faces from the guard were missing. Some of those faces had gone with their heads struck off by the Dragonborn. Others were now serving sentences in the Imperial owned Cidhna mines. And many of those incarcerated there had been pardoned when their cases were reviewed by an Imperial Magistrate empowered to look over their sentences.

 

Nora bought an additional three horses from the stables, giving her a total of five pack animals. She then contracted to have four large leather tents made and waxed. The weather hazard in the Reach was not snow, though it could come down here periodically. Rain was the problem, and staying dry, so fur was not called for. She purchased the pioneer tools and carrying bags as well, and had the promise of the outfitter that her equipment would be ready in two days. After that she decided to meet with the powers that be in the city, starting with the new Imperial Governor.

 

“Good to see you, Thane Nora,” said Margret, getting up from her desk in the Treasury House. The once headquarters of the Silver-Bloods was now in Imperial hands, and was the new Reach Headquarters of the Oculotus as well as the Governor's Office. “What brings you back?”

 

“Word walls,” said Nora by means of explanation. “There are a number of old Nordic ruins around here that I need to explore.”

 

Margret shuddered. “Better you than me, my Lady.  I wouldn't be caught dead in those haunted places.”

 

“They're where I get the power of the Thu'um,” said Nora, shrugging her shoulders. “Since the walls are mostly buried deep, I need to delve for them. There are many interesting places to explore in the Reach, and Markarth seems to be the perfect base of operations for me.”

 

“Well, welcome. And I have a reparations payment waiting for you. Two thousand Septims, the first installment.”

 

“Use it to help the community,” said Nora, waving off the payment. “I have more gold than I know what to do with, and I'll surely get more after searching some ruins.”

 

“Most generous of you,” said a smiling Margret. “We are still digging into the corruption here, and it goes even deeper than we thought. The Jarl's steward was an agent for both the Forsworn and the Stormcloaks.”

 

“Strange bedfellows, wouldn't you say?”

 

“Yes,” agreed Margret. “But the greed of the man knew no bounds, and both paid for his influence, while he had to think that whatever the other didn't know wouldn't hurt them.”

 

“I assume he has been arrested?”

 

Margret frowned and shook her head. “Took his own life, with poison, while we were breaking down his door. In retrospect, I should have had him arrested while he was at the palace. Well, he was removed from his position, and now his former masters will have to look for a new agent. Good luck with that. And have you thought of going and seeing the Jarl while you're here?”

 

“Whatever for?” asked Nora, not really looking forward to seeing Igmund, the man whose dereliction to duty had led to her rape and incarceration in the mines.

 

“By agreement he owes you reparations as well. Might as well take him up on it, even if you don't need the money. Make him pay through the nose.”

 

“On second thought, give me one of the bags,” said Nora, an idea in mind. “It will still go to the community, but where I want it to go.”

 

Nora agreed with the sentiment of making the Jarl pay through the nose, and resolved to head to the palace. Right after the Temple of Dibella. She left the males in her group outside as her and the women went in, to be greeted by a couple of priestesses who recognized her immediately.

 

“How are you doing, sister?” asked Jolene, coming out of the inner sanctum. “Any more problems with your, um..”

 

“Not a one. My people followed your instructions and I am no longer held back.”

 

“Wonderful. And if you would like another lesson while you are in town, I would be glad to oblige.”

 

Nora wondered how much of that was dedication to the Goddess, and how much was just a desire to have sex with people as skilled at it as she was. “Maybe,” she said with a smile. After all, her session with Jolene and Eldawyn had been very pleasant, and Nora could never have too much pleasure.

 

“And here,” said Nora, handing over the sack of coin she had gotten from Margret, one thousand Septims. “To help support the temple.”

 

“Very generous,” said Jolene, holding up the bags.

 

Next stop, the palace, and Igmund was still slouched in his seat, causing Nora to wonder if the man ever moved. A young man was sitting in the steward's seat, though the same armored woman was standing guard.

 

“Thane Adams,” said the Jarl, giving her a slight smile that was all he could seem to manage. “Are you here for your reparation payment?”

 

“Maybe. How much is it.”

 

“Five thousand Septims. Though I wish I could convince you to take it in trade, since we are short on coin. The Imperials raided my treasury as well as taking down the richest family in the Reach.”

 

Nora didn't feel the least bit sorry for the Jarl, though she hoped it hadn't impacted on the citizens hereabouts. “Maybe that house you offered. Is it still available?”

 

“Yes, Thane Nora. Though it's quite a lot more than five thousand.”

 

“Okay,” said Nora, wanting to drive a hard bargain with this man. “How about you give me the house and we call ourselves even from here on. No more reparations.”

 

“Deal,” said the Jarl, sitting up in his chair. “Singurd. Draw up the papers giving Thane Nora Vlindrel Hall.”

 

“Would you like it furnished, Thane Nora?” asked the young man, looking up from a paper he was writing on. “And what are you a Thane of?”

 

“Of Markarth, you young fool,” growled the Jarl.

 

“But, I'm not...”

 

“Please,” said Igmund, standing up and coming down the steps. “Let me have the honor of making you a Thane of my Hold. You did much for me and my people by ending the tyranny of the Silver-Bloods.”

 

Nora wasn't sure she wanted another Thaneship, and also wasn't sure if she would have conflicting loyalties with another title. Of course, the Reach was Imperial territory, just like Whitrerun, Haafingar and Hjaalmarch. And being a Thane of the Hold might come in handy when she was out and about in the Reach.

 

“I accept the honor, Jarl Igmund.”

 

“Good. Then by my authority as Jarl of the Reach, I name you Thane.”

 

“Would you like your house furnished, Thane Nora,” asked Singurd, jotting down some more notes.

 

“How much for the works?”

 

“Five thousand, I believe,” said Siggurd. “Including a children's bedroom and enchanting and alchemy labs. Along with a Housecarl's bedroom.”

 

“Let's hold off on the Housecarl for now, Jarl Igmund,” Nora said. She already had her own people, and really didn't want someone she didn't know hanging around her house.

 

“If you choose,” said the Jarl in a tone of relief. Nora thought he would have had to assign someone from his shrunken guard force to her, and now he could keep the soldier.

 

“And I want to make some changes to the furnishings.” She detailed to the steward what she wanted, and the man jotted down the notes, then handed Igmund a piece of paper that he signed.

 

“Your bill of sale, Thane Nora. Let me get the key for you, but it won't be furnished until tomorrow at the earliest.”

 

Nora could stay in the once Silver-Blood Inn tonight, then check out her house the next day. When her tents and sleeping bags were ready she would head out to her first target in the region, to the south of the city.

 

“So you have a house,” said Eldawyn, walking beside Nora. “Does that mean you will be moving out of the castle? And can I then have it?”

 

Nora laughed as she looked over at her smiling friend. “Valkyrja is my permanent residence, but I need places we can stay when we are the far corners of the map. I plan to get that house in Solitude as well.”

 

“But, the Blue Palace,” protested Sofia.

 

“Is a wonderful place to visit. Elisif is an amazing hostess. But we're just visitors there, and I can't just toss my gear anywhere I want. We'll still spend time there, but I want a bed I can call my own. And I'm sure you want the same. But, if you would rather stay in the palace, and Elisif has room for you, be my guest.”

 

The Inn was as remembered. The name had changed, now the Markarth Inn, but little else. She approached the innkeep to find out that he was the new owner, and incredibly pleased with himself.

 

“Do you still have the flier I gave you?” she asked, not seeing it on the inn's missive board.

 

“I put it up,” said the frowning innkeep. “It garnered plenty of interest. In fact, several people jotted down its information. And then the Thalmor came in and ripped it down. I was able to convince them that I had nothing to do with it, but they left with a warning that they would be watching me. So no more.”

 

“I'm sorry,” said Nora, worried that the Thalmor might be going after some more innocent people in Markarth.

 

“Well, I keep my little shrine hidden and pray when I can,” said the innkeep. “But that's as much as I'm willing to do for now.”

 

Nora got them some rooms, meals and baths. She had her meal in the common room in front of the fire, then read some of the books she had brought along from Skyhaven Temple, filling herself in on the history of the Blades. What she read conflicted some with the praises that Delphine and Esbern had sung. It seemed, according to the author, that while the Blades had been conceived as protectors of the Empire, they had actually worked behind the scenes to control the Empire through the Emperor. Feeding him what information they wanted, while withholding that which might cause him to make decisions they didn't approve of. And in the infrequent Dragonborns they saw rich territory for their command and control. If they could influence such a hero their status with the population expanded. She hadn't trusted Delphine before, and after reading this book she had even less reason for trust.

 

Nora spent the next morning shopping around the town and listening in on conversations. The talk was mostly about the fall of the Silver-Blood family, and how other families were jockeying for position in the new hierarchy in Markarth. There were some names repeated that Nora made a point to remember, in case one of them tried the same takeover that the Silver-Bloods had orchestrated years ago. She stopped at the Alchemists shop, and the owner seemed overjoyed that men were no longer coming to her store to shake her down.

 

Evening arrived and Nora decided to check out her new house to see if it was ready for occupancy.  It was, with brand new furnishings. There were tables, chairs and weapons racks throughout the place, as well sconces on the walls and wood stacked by the fireplace. Food had been stored throughout the house, pastries, fruits, bottles of mead and wine. The master's bedroom had a large double bed that took up most of the space, while the children's room had its two smaller beds removed and replaced with adult single beds. The enchanting laboratory and the Housecarl's quarters had been repurposed as well with large double beds. While the whole house was only slightly larger than the master's chamber in Valkyrja, it would serve her needs. Three rooms where she and her followers could engage in their games, and a couple of singles for those who wanted to sleep alone.

 

Lydia and Valdimar put together a meal from what they found in the house, a vegetable stew with pastries on the side. Not really a balanced dinner, but it would do until they bought some other provisions. Which, since they were heading out the next day, would be the next time they visited the city.

 

“My Thane,” said Valdimar soon after dinner, standing by the open front door. “We have a visitor.”

 

“Jolene,” said Nora, walking quickly to the door to greet her guest. “How nice to see you.”

 

“Would you like another lesson, Thane Nora?” asked the smiling priestess, her eyes running over the imposing figure of Valdimar.

 

“Just Nora. And it looks like you have something else on your mind tonight.”

“Well,” said Jolene, licking her lips. “This is quite a specimen. Do you think you could convince him to join us?”

 

“That's up to him,” said Nora, looking at Valdimar. “No one in my party is forced to engage in any sexual activities that they don't want to.”

 

“Well, big fellow,” said Jolene, and from her tone she was hoping other things about him would be large.

 

“I would love to. If Nora joins us as well. I need to keep her happy.”

 

“Of course,” said a laughing Nora. The man went out of his way to keep her happy in every way, and he succeeded.

 

The two women were soon on Nora's large bed, naked and with Valdimar laying on his back between him. They worked on getting him hard, an easy task since he was already almost there. They shared his cock, and Jolene showed Nora some oral tricks, while the Dragonborn reciprocated with one of her own. When the man was on the verge of bursting the two women started working on each other, getting themselves aroused and wet. A little more work to get Valdimar back at full mast and they settled into position.

 

Jolene lowered herself onto Valdimar's cock, grunting from the size and slowly getting it inside her. Nora, meanwhile, maneuvered herself onto the man's face, his hands reaching up and holding onto her thighs. He started working his mouth and tongue, licking and kissing at her labia and clitoris. Jolene was now moving up and down, the sounds she was making showing her appreciation for the man's large member within her, while Valdimar groaning into Nora's pussy was showing his appreciation of the priestess' motions, and sending thrills up Nora as well. The two women leaned in and started kissing, their hands playing with the breasts of the other.

 

“How long will he last?” asked a breathless Jolene.

 

“As long as he wants,” gasped Nora. “He was trained in the sexual arts in his Hold, where male Housecarl's were expected to service high-born ladies.”

 

“Lucky you, to have gotten such a stud.”

 

“Well, the girls really like him.”

 

“All of them? And no jealousy?”

 

“So far, no. But I'm careful to give everyone a turn and not hog him myself.”

 

“And he is right here,” mumbled Valdimar into Nora's pussy.

 

“Sorry, big man. Just woman talk. You know how we are.”

 

Valdimar answered by quickly flicking his tongue across Nora's clit, and she leaned her head back and screamed as an orgasm hit her.

 

“You are so responsive,” said Jolene, picking up her pace. “That is a blessing.”

 

Yes, thought Nora, as the man stopped working on her genitals for a moment to let her come down. But soon he was once again kissing and licking her like he was a starving man and her pussy a feast. Jolene started into her own first orgasm, a series of soft cries as she bucked and shivered.

 

“Would you like to get some cock?” asked the priestess.

 

“Enjoy. I'll get my turn.”

The women rode Valdimar for what seemed like hours, but couldn't have been that long. Both came again, then Valdimar started grunting up into Nora's pussy in earnest.

 

“Here he comes,” crowed Jolene. “I can feel him swelling. And, oh Gods.” She came again, a trained and responsive priestess who thought that a man Cuming in her was cause for celebration. She rolled off the man, his cock coming out of her with a squelching sound as his semen dripped from her pussy. Jolene was on his cock like a starving woman, getting every last drop from him.

 

“Ready for some more, big guy?” asked Nora, removing herself from his face. “I loved the oral, but I want to get fucked.”

 

“What is your favorite position?” asked a curious Jolene, taking a rag and wiping her pussy clean.

 

“I really love good old-fashioned missionary.”

 

“Which?” asked a confused Jolene, who had obviously never heard the term before.

“This one,” said Nora, lying flat on her back and opening her legs, her arms welcoming the young man, who was hard again and ready to go.

 

“Ah, the beast with two backs,” said a smiling Jolene. “Some think it too common, but it is enjoyable.”

 

“I love being able to look into my lover's eyes while we're fucking,” said Nora, grabbing Valdimar's cock and moving it to her entrance. She grunted as he pushed in an inch, then waited a moment to adjust.

 

“And you're so tight,” said an enthralled Jolene.

 

“The tightest I have ever had,” said Valdimar, as he looked into Nora's eyes and pushed more of his cock inside. “Nora is amazing. But she still adjusts well to a large cock, and it feels incredible.”

 

Nora closed her eyes for a moment, a smile playing over her lips as she was filled. “I like the way our groins meet in this position. We can kiss, and rub our hands over each other's bodies.” She sighed as Valdimar leaned down and took a nipple in his mouth. “And there's that. I love a man sucking my tits.”

 

Valdimar rode Nora long and hard, pounding into her as he knew his friend liked. She rode three orgasms, each more powerful than the last, until the man cried out and shot his load in her. He rolled off, and Jolene again attacked his cock.

 

“Would you like to go again?” Valdimar asked Jolene, who smiled at him while she shook her head.

 

“No. I'm satisfied. And it's better to leave the table with a desire for more. But I must say. That was the most amazing display of lovemaking I have ever seen. I wish I could talk you into doing a demonstration at the Temple for some of the younger priestesses. To show them what heights we can achieve.”

 

“I would do that,” said Nora, always a bit of an exhibitionist. The thought excited her, reminding her of her days as a stripper, when she had put on stage shows with customers for the good money it brought in. “But I'm not sure that Valdimar will be game.”

 

“I will if it's with you, Nora. I had to demonstrate to the high-born ladies of the court so they would know they weren't getting some regular Nord lout. So, whenever you want to, say the word.”

 

“We're hitting the road tomorrow,” said Nora after kissing her Housecarl. “Maybe when we come back, before we move on.”

 

Jolene left to go back to the Temple, while Nora curled up with her Housecarl for the night. A night that brought only the peaceful dreams of the fulfilled.

 

*     *     *

 

The next morning, tents and sleeping bags loaded on the pack animals, food and pioneering tools added,, the party mounted up and headed out. Their target was forty some straight-line miles to the south of Markarth, probably seventy to eighty miles of bad winding road. Two hours at the fastest speed of Thundering Hooves, but the terrain would probably preclude that kind of progress. So Nora was thinking four hours. It was wishful thinking.

 

First the roads were worse than she had expected, and several times the party went off the path altogether without even realizing it. They were attacked by wolves, the damned creatures suicidal in their determination to take down a large, well-armed party. Nora was surprised the creatures still existed on this world. Then an attack by a pack of Goblins that wounded several party members and left one pack animal dead. They healed up the people, and the many wounded horses, and unloaded the dead beast, divvying its gear among the rest. The rains started pouring down, obscuring vision, and some of the dragon like creatures that breathed fire appeared. Then a Wisp Mother and some Spriggans. It was a nightmare, and it was late in the afternoon before they reached sight of the multilevels of Hag Rock Redoubt ahead through the mist.

 

The weather was almost perfect for Nora's purposes. Visibility was low, and noises were covered by the rain. Which didn't mean that everyone was not miserable. Nora left Sofia and Lydia behind to guard the horses, apologizing to the spellsword, who was really up in the rotation to go in. But Nora wanted her most powerful mages for this one. The name implied there were hags inside, witches of great power, and possibly a Hagraven. And a mighty Forsworn warrior that the Jarl had put a bounty out on. Not really concerned with the money, Nora considered it her duty to take the heads of any Forsworn leaders she could find to disrupt their operations. The redoubt didn't contain the word wall she had come for, but they had to go through it to get to Dead Crone Rock, which was said to have a wall.

 

Nora wasn't sure if Invisibility would work for her on the outside, since the rain would outline her form. It wasn't really needed, and casting Predator Vision showed her the enemy in the obscuring rain, glowing red with life. There were a couple on the ground before the stairs, the alert sentries. A few on each level, most in their tents. And that was it. She assumed that everyone else was inside, and considered whether to take them from the bottom, or go through the top and work her way down. Every manual she had read on military maneuvers had said to go from top to bottom, as an enemy was more likely to flee down, than when they were trapped high.

 

Nora and Elesia crept up on the sentries, using every piece of cover on the way. When they were set, Nora used the shout Aura Whisper, no sound coming from her mouth, but some indistinct talking coming from the steps to their rear. Both sentries turned, searching the empty stairs, and getting arrows into the joining of head and neck, piercing the brain stem and dropping them dead to the ground with nary a sound. The two went up the steps. Elesia could still be an insane woman when she was wielding her swords, but she had learned to cut the laughing when it was time for a silent kill. She still smiled a lot, and Nora thought the woman a functional psychopath. That she was Nora's psychopath was a given.

 

A pair of shots and the Forsworn on the second level were down, and the pair worked their way up to the next, while the four trailers moved up the stairs to the second level. Everything was going so well, before a Forsworn stepped out of the door into the ruins and spotted Nora. He pulled up a spell just in time to catch an arrow through the chest, yelling in pain as he fell. The two on the top level came out of their tents, carrying bows, and one got off an arrow that bounced from Elesia's armor before the pair took both of the Forsworn out.

 

“Glad you let me talk you into armor?” whispered Nora to her follower as they set up to engage anyone coming out of the door.

 

Elesia smiled and nodded, then drew her bow as the door opened and a man with a Briarheart came walking out, turning this way and that, yelling out some names. Two arrows took him in his bare chest and he went down with a gurgling gasp. Nora wasn't sure why the Forsworn let their most formidable warriors go around without armor, much less shirts. It seemed a waste, since they were such easy distance kills.

 

The inside was the normal maze of passages and rooms that all ancient Nord ruins seemed to consist of. They located another Briarheart, taken down while he was working an alchemy table, the first awareness of the intruders Dawnbreaker bursting from his chest. They found a total of five more Forsworn, talking, arguing on guard duty, giving away their positions. They cleared the ruin, and Nora was beginning to think she might have brought Sofia along after all and given Eldawyn a break. Though from her experience, the Altmer didn't consider anything that took her from Nora's side as a good thing.

 

“What next?” asked Eldawyn as she exited the ruin with Nora. “The one up there?”

 

Up there, up a long flight of steps, was Dead Crone Rock, another name that was meant to inspire dread. Nora and Elesia led again, bows ready. Night was starting to fall, and Nora had wanted to get back to Markarth to spend the evening, but since she didn't like to teleport at night, it was looking like they were going to spend it here.

 

You'd complain about a beautiful day, Nora, she chided herself. She had the means to travel faster than just about anyone else in this world beside the Psijics, and she still wasn't happy.

 

There was no one on the small level plaza before the entrance of Dead Crone Rock. The door was unlocked, but then why wouldn't it be. Anyone getting here had to go through their companions below, and they probably didn't think that possible without an alarm being raised. The unaware Forsworn fell just as silently, just as easily. The only hazard they ran into were soul gem traps that spouted fire, and Eldawyn, along with Valdimar, were badly burned before they got out of the line of fire. Nora rushed in and knocked the soul gems from their mounts, catching a few burns herself, then everyone relaxed around a table while the healing spells were cast.

 

That was when Nora heard it, the sweet sound of a word wall singing to her. She was on her feet in a moment, heading out of the room, up some steps, and along a corridor that had been hiding behind an altar. Her companions called after her and hurried to follow. She came into a room with a familiar curved wall by herself, looking around quickly to make sure no one was waiting for her. Then she rushed toward the wall, one of the symbols glowing blue and burning its word into her mind.

 

Faas, the first word of the Dismay shout, that would make weaker enemies flee from her. Each of the other words of the shout would make it more effective, causing ever stronger opponents to rout. She only had the one word, but thought it useful enough, and unlocked it with a dragon soul.

 

“Okay,” she told her people, heading past them back out of the room. “Let's get the horses up to the first level and get our camp established. We're going to be here through the night.”

 

Soon they had cooking fires going and the tents up. Nora didn't like the idea of camping in the ruins. They were creepy haunted places, with the possibility of Ghosts or undead popping out of the woodwork. She had slept in ruins in the Commonwealth, but after clearing them of ghouls, never the kind of creature to hide when they heard prey, those places were nothing to worry about. Not so here, and she was sure her nightmares would be worse. Her people implored her to take shelter in the rainproof ruins, but Nora refused, and her companions would not let her stay by herself.

 

After a meal they sorted out the sleeping arrangements. Sofia was having her period and really didn't feel like fun and games. Valdimar, Elesia and Lydia formed a trio in one tent. Lydia still wouldn't let a man penetrate her, but she had really gotten into giving and receiving oral pleasure. So it was her and Eldawyn again, not that she was complaining. The horses were hobbled and shock runes laid on the steps coming up and down, and Nora took first watch with Eldawyn. Elesia and Lydia took second watch, both with wide smiles on their faces from the workout they had gotten from Valdimar. Nora entered her tent with Eldawyn, undressing and getting ready for some nightmare banishing fun, when Jordis asked if she could come in.

 

“I was wondering if you and Lady Eldawyn would show me some of what you know,” said the young woman shyly, blushing. “Lydia said she learned so much from you, and she has gotten very good.”

 

“Of course,” said Nora, getting a smile from Eldawyn. They both started stripping the young woman, kissing her in every accessible place. And hour later everyone in the tent was asleep, smiles on their faces.

 

*    *    *

 

The next morning Nora teleported them back to Markarth in four jumps. They bathed, reloaded everything, and started on the road to Ragnvald, thirty miles of fairly straight path from the city. Nora expected this day would go so much better than the other. She was wrong.