Letter From a Friend (Monilee's Adventure, Part 11)
Monilee staggered through the destitute throngs camping outside Whiterun's gates. Some just stared, others mouthed questions. The dragon - is it dead? Are we safe? Monilee had no answers for them. Her full focus was on putting on foot in front of the other on the long path to the Jarl's palace. Silently, the guards opened the gates for her, their eyes gleaming silent questions through their close-faced helms. How had the battle gone? Did it end in victory? Were their friends coming close behind, or lying dead on the plains?
The gates closed behind her with a deep rumble, and Monilee stopped for just a moment to catch her breath. But her chest felt tight, like a weight pressing down on her. Then the rumble started. Slowly at first, then swelling like rolling thunder, until it broke over her with all the power of a rogue wave. Not just a rumble, in fact. It was words that pressed against her.
"Doh... Vah... Kiin!"
The foreign word hung in the air, and rang in her ears. All around people murmured questions, looking to the east for some sign of the mighty roar's source. Somewhere she heard an old man whisper reverently.
"The Graybeards... have spoken."
Beyond the obvious, that name meant nothing to Monilee. And with her mind still fogged by her explosive reaction to the dragon's essence, she gave it little thought. All she wanted to do now was tell Balgruuf of their victory and then fall into the nearest bed. So fogged that it took her a moment to fully grasp the oddly dressed woman who stood before her.
"You're the dragonborn, right?"
If Monilee had been a little more present in the moment, she would have asked how this strange girl knew who she was. Instead she just asked, "What happened to your clothes?"
The girl claimed to have been sent by... Dibella? To deliver a letter? Then she was begging for relief, and Monilee felt a smile creep over her face and then they were on the cobblestones, worshipping Dibella in the oldest, most pure way. And then... with a jingle of bells, the strange girl was gone and Monilee found herself holding a plain scroll tube. Ducking under an awning to escape the rain, she opened the tube and examined the letter. Precise, tightly composed script greeted her with an admonition to not use the power of her voice, on pain of losing her freedom.
So... not literally a letter from Dibella. But still, how did this Mother Hamal know Monilee was the Dragonborn? Surely, in distant Markarth, her Sybil must have learned of this long before Monilee swallowed the dragon's soul. Curious how Monilee was not the only one receiving strange dreams... perhaps this was Dibella's way. But the letter have Monilee more questions than answers. Perhaps it was time for her to journey to Markarth and visit the Temple of Dibella at long last. As she thought through this, she realized that her head had finally cleared. Perhaps that too was a gift - a gift of clarity at the hands of this girl, Cassia.
Jarl Balgruuf had different ideas. He told Monilee in no uncertain terms that she must go east, to High Hrothgar at the Throat of the World, not west to Markarth. There is no refusing the summons of the Graybeards, he said. And he provided Monilee with a gift, perhaps to ensure she obeyed. From this day, Monilee was Thane Monilee of Whiterun, a position of great honor, and as such she was granted her own Housecarl to serve and protect her. And more likely than not, to ensure she traveled to High Hrothgar with great dispatch.
Indeed, while Lydia professed her oath to protect Monilee and all her posessions - a statement she made with a sidelong glance at the doppelganger, a glance that seemed to harbor a hind of disapproval - she immediately echoed the Jarl's position when Monilee discussed the two paths laid before them. As much as Markarth tugged at her, Monilee saw little option but to make the journey to High Hrothgar first. With the day waning, she took some time to visit the blacksmith and ensure her gear was kept in fighting shape, as well as selling that greatsword she had found in Bleak Falls Barrow. Then the three of them - Monilee, Lydia, and Monilee's doppelganger - retired to the Bannered Mare to rest until the coming of the next day.
They made more proper introductions then, or at least started. Perhaps against better judgment, Monilee tried to flirt a little with Lydia, but was fast rebuffed. Evidently, as a devout follow of Mara, Lydia considered dalliances outside of marriage - to say nothing of between a liege and her vassal - highly inapproriate.
"An odd position from all I've seen here in Skyrim," Monilee commented.
Lydia shrugged, palms up, "Living in a wicked land doesn't mean we have to lower ourselves to the mean."
"That can't be an easy way to live here, and I respect that. Lady Mara once saved my life, you know. I have great esteem for her followers."
"Good," said Lydia, "I'm so happy we understand each other. I'm sworn to your service, my Thane, and I want nothing more than to bring honor to your name. But..."
"Yes?"
"There's one more thing that makes me uncomfortable."
"What is it?"
Lydia pointed her chin towards the doppelganger. "Your... slave."
"My slave."
"Yes. I know that the Empire is far away, and things like this are tolerated here. But I feel uncomfortable in the company of, well, a naked woman with a bag on her head. If my Thane would grant me a small favor would... would... would you get her some clothes, please?"
Monilee laughed, causing a confused and upset look to flash over Lydia's face.
"No, no, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at myself. When... when my servant first came into my service, I meant to dress her properly right away. But not long ago, I was laid low by circumstance and lacked even a copper to space. Over time, I think I just got used to the way things were. But you're right, let's dress..."
Monilee looked at her doppelganger. "You know, in all our time together, you've never told me your name."
The doppelganger leaned back, casually, belying any notion that she was discompoted by her vulnerable state.
"Call me what you want. I've had plenty of names, none of them real."
"Suggestions, Lydia?"
She thought for a moment. "I knew a pretty girl named Shayna when I was young. It's as good a name as any."
Monilee nodded. "Agreed, Shayna it is."
"Now," Lydia added darkly, "Lets get her some clothes before the market closes."
An hour later, Monilee and Shayna returned. Lydia audibly gasped when Monilee pulled off Shayna's hood. She and her twin laughed heartily at the reaction.
"Oh, Lydia, do we have some stories to tell you..."
Test Results
Somewhat shorter session than initially planned because of some troubleshooting required for the issue listed below.
-
Successfully started "Dare to Shout Like a Virgin"
- This quest proved a little fragile during the part where Cassia speaks to the player. If it started too close to the Whiterun gates, Cassia had a tendency to sandbox across the zone line, which made the sexlab scene fail. This in turn stopped the quest from proceeding. Skyrim required a quit-to-desktop and restart to get her to function properly after that. Fixed by ensuring I was not near any zone transition doors when she spawned. This may be an interaction with Wet & Cold's AI package that causes NPCs to seek shelter when it's raining.
Edited by gregaaz
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