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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
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Ysolda beamed, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of a potential deal. "I would like that very much, Aerion. I think we're going to get along just fine."
They then walked to Bannered Mare with Lupin, who just finished his apple, in tow and the door swung open with a familiar creak.
They were welcomed by the general murmur of the patrons, the clear, melodic notes of a flute drifted through the air, Mikael, apparently having switched from his drum to a more delicate instrument to soothe the noon crowd, was playing a tune that was surprisingly light and airy.
Aerion led the way toward the long, scarred wooden counter, his boots thumping softly against the stone floors while Lupin, having finally finished the last sticky remains of his apple, trotted behind with a newfound air of self importance.
They took their seats on the stools, the wood smooth and worn from decades of use, and were immediately greeted by Hulda, whose face broke into a surprised but genuine smile as she wiped down the counter with a cloth that had seen better days.
"Well now, there's a sight I didn't expect to see so soon," Hulda remarked, her voice warm and raspy as she leaned her elbows on the wood, looking between the tall, elegant Altmer and the bright eyed brunette trader. "Aerion, I see you've already met our Ysolda, seeing the two of you entered together is quite the surprise for an old woman like me."
Aerion offered a polite, measured nod, his golden skin shimmering under the hanging iron lanterns. "Ysolda just told me she has an interest in certain exotic commodities, Hulda, and it seems she's had some trouble acquiring them, she mentioned its for the Khajiits caravans."
Ysolda leaned forward, her hazel eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and relief as she added, "He's being modest, Hulda, he's much more friendly than the stories I've heard about the high elves of the Dominion, and I just couldn't help but say that, I've been searching a particular item that the giants have, since he mention that he have a certain knack dealing with the giants."
Hulda let out a hearty, booming chuckle that made the tankards on the shelves rattle slightly. "A 'knack,' he says! Bless you, girl, he's doing more than just dealing with them, he should have just come back from clearing out Bleakwind Basin for a bounty the Jarl himself authorized, though I'll admit, I was holding my breath until I saw him walk through that door again safe and sound, giants aren't known for their hospitality, after all."
From the floor below, a sharp, indignant yip sounded, causing Hulda to peer over the counter with an amused grin. "And you too, little hero! I haven't forgotten you, Lupin, you kept him safe, didn't you? Stay right there, I've got a sweet roll with your name on it for a successful return."
Aerion let out a long, weary sigh, though a hint of a smile touched his lips as he watched the fox practically vibrate with anticipation. "Hulda, you really shouldn't, this glutton has just polished off a whole apple in the market, he's going to be too round to run if you keep this up."
Lupin immediately let out a series of protesting yips, his head tilting sharply as if he were presenting a formal legal argument against Aerion's assessment of his diet. Aerion looked down at the fox, and even though he couldn't translate the barks, he knew exactly what the creature was thinking.
Since Lupin had successfully make three mammoths acknowledge him as the big brother, his ego had grown twice as large as his tail, and he clearly felt he was entitled to a king's ransom in sugar and dough.
The antics between the sometimes stoic, sometimes humble, but undeniably strange High Elf and his expressive companion were too much for the two women to resist, and they both broke into a fit of laughter that drew the eyes of several patrons.
Hulda reached back and snatched a fresh, glazed sweet roll from a covered tray, tossing it expertly toward the floor.
"Let the boy eat, Aerion! He's earned it," Hulda said as Lupin caught the treat in mid air with the grace of a seasoned predator, immediately dragging it toward the corner to begin his feast.
As the laughter subsided, Aerion turned his focus back to Ysolda, his expression shifting into a more professional mask. "But back to the matter at hand, Ysolda, you mentioned a specific item you needed from the giants, something to do with the Khajiit caravans?"
Ysolda straightened her posture, the playful light in her eyes replaced by the sharp, focused intensity of a born entrepreneur. "It's mammoth tusks, Aerion. Just one would be enough to change everything for me. You see, the Khajiit caravans, specifically the ones led respectively by Ri'saad and Ri'kar, they have a great respect for those who can navigate the dangers of the tundra."
"If I can present them with a tusk, it would prove that I'm more than just a merchant girl, it would give me the standing I need to establish a real business relationship with them, to act as their middleman here in Whiterun and learn the secrets of their trade."
Hulda, who had returned to drying a mug, gave a knowing nod toward Ysolda. "The girl's got a head for business, I'll give her that. She's been saving every septim she can, hoping to buy this very inn from me when I'm ready to hang up the apron, and building a bridge with the cat folk is her way of making that dream a reality."
Aerion feigned a look of genuine surprise, his internal "Gamer Soul" nodding along while his "Altmer Persona" played the part of the intrigued stranger. "You intend to buy the Bannered Mare, Ysolda? And you, Hulda, you're ready to part with such a centerpiece of the city?"
Hulda sighed, looking around the warm, smoky room with a mixture of affection and exhaustion. "I've loved this place, Aerion, but this civil war... it's a heavy weight on a woman's shoulders. The city's tense, the guards are on edge, and I'm just ready to retire somewhere quiet, enjoy my golden years quietly and peacefully. Ysolda's like a protege to me. I wouldn't sell to anyone else, but the girl needs a bit more capital before we can make the trade official."
Aerion nodded slowly. "I see the logic in that, it's a sound path for both of you," he said, before turning back to Ysolda with a thoughtful look. "But you asked if I killed the mammoths during my hunt today? I have to be honest with you, Ysolda... I didn't kill a single one."
Ysolda's shoulders slumped almost instantly, her face falling as her hope seemed to evaporate in a single breath. "Oh... I understand. Of course, attacking the mammoths while dealing with giants would have been far too dangerous, I shouldn't have assumed—"
"Now, wait a moment," Aerion interrupted, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips as he enjoyed the dramatic tension. "I said I didn't kill them, but I never said I didn't have any mammoth tusks."
The silence that followed was thick with shock. Both Ysolda and Hulda stared at him as if he had just manifested a second head. Ysolda's hands actually flew to her mouth, her voice a breathless whisper. "Really? You... you have some? Right now? Here in the city?"
"He just said he didn't kill the beasts, Aerion, don't tease the poor girl," Hulda chided, though her own curiosity was piqued.
Aerion leaned back slightly. "It's true, the mammoths are alive and well, but giants are scavengers by nature, and they're also fond of their trophies. I found several tusks lying around the camp while I was... clearing it out. I suspect they were intended to be ground into powder for their primitive rituals, but I felt they would be much more useful in more capable hands."
In a burst of pure, unrestrained excitement, Ysolda reached across the counter and grabbed Aerion's hand, her grip surprisingly strong. "Aerion, please! If you have some, could you... would you let me have some? I'll make it worth your while, I promise!"
Aerion cleared his throat, his gaze dropping briefly to where her hand was clutching his. The "Altmer" in him felt a momentary prickle of discomfort at the sudden loss of personal space, but the "Gamer" side of him was genuinely touched by her earnestness.
Ysolda blinked, realizing she was practically clinging to him, and she quickly pulled her hand back, her face turning a deep, vivid shade of red. "I... my apologies! I'm so sorry, I got carried away."
"It is quite alright, Ysolda, your passion for your work is commendable," Aerion replied, his voice smoothing over the awkwardness. "In fact..." He paused, maintaining a steady gaze. "I already have them stored in my room upstairs. I brought them back earlier and left them there to avoid bringing some ivory bones through the cloud district and to the Jarl's keep."
Hulda froze, her face a mask of profound confusion. She leaned over the counter, the damp cloth forgotten. "Wait just a minute there, dearie. Your room? Upstairs? I've been behind this counter since before the sun hit the Gildergreen. I saw the regulars, I saw the brewers... but I don't recall seeing a tall, golden skinned High Elf and a bright orange fox stroll past my bar to the stairs just now."
Aerion didn't skip a beat. He allowed a faint, slightly sheepish smile to touch his lips. "Ah, my apologies, Hulda. When I arrived back, you were quite busy directing Saadia with the stew and dealing with a particularly loud carter. I didn't want to disturb the flow, so I slipped in through the kitchen door in the back. I was in the hallway and up the stairs before you even turned around."
Inwardly, Aerion felt a thrill of relief. It was a blatant lie, he had only just arrived at the inn with Ysolda, but he needed the physical distance of the room to "retrieve" the items from his system inventory without shattering their reality.
[Persuasion Skill Leveled Up to Level 27!]
Hulda blinked, her memory momentarily faltering as she tried to recall the chaos of the rush she have today. "The kitchen door... well, it was a madhouse earlier," she muttered, scratching her temple. "I suppose I could have missed you. You elves do move like shadows when you want to."
Aerion stood up from the stool, smoothing the front of his robes. "I shall return in a moment. Hulda, Ysolda, stay right there. I'll bring down them down."
Lupin, who had been busy demolishing his sweet roll in the corner, looked up, a bit of white glaze stuck to his nose. He let out a soft yip, as if asking if he needed to act as a bodyguard for the ivory, but Aerion simply pointed back at the floor. "Stay, Lupin. Watch our friends."
The fox gave a huff of resignation and went back to his snack. Aerion climbed the stairs to his room. Once the door was closed, he manifested two Mammoth Tusks from his inventory.
He braced them against his sides and descended the stairs. When he reached the counter, he placed the heavy curves of ivory onto the wood. The weight of it made the timber groan.
"Is this... real?" Ysolda whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. She was overjoyed to see not just one, but two. "Two tusks! Aerion, this is incredible! Like I said before, I'll make it worth your while! I don't have many septims yet, but I can train you in the arts of speechcraft, teach you how to read people and negotiate better than any merchant in the Hold, and I'll pay you whatever I can save!"
"I am willing to give you what you need, and in exchange, I accept your offer to teach me the arts of speechcraft." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he moved to the next phase of his plan. "However, I do not want your septims. Keep them for your savings toward buying this inn. Instead, I want you to consider us business partners of a sort."
"As an explorer and doing some bounty requests on the side, I often encounter rare trinkets and valuables that don't fit in a standard market stall, if you can help me move those items through your Khajiit connections, where they might fetch a much higher price than Belethor would ever offer, I would consider that more than enough compensation."
Ysolda looked like she was about to cry from pure relief, a wide, dazzling smile breaking across her face. "A partnership? Aerion, that's... that's more than fair, that's incredible! You'd really do that? You'd give me these tusks and let me keep my gold?"
"I would," Aerion confirmed, his voice firm. "I value long term stability and reliable friend over a handful of coins today. If you succeed, we both succeed."
Hulda slapped the counter with a broad palm, a look of immense satisfaction on her face. "Well, look at that! A real merchant's deal struck right here at my bar. Aerion, you're a strange one, but you've got a good heart for an Altmer."
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[Main Panel] Name: Aerion Race: High Elf (Altmer) Health: 160/160 Stamina: 150/150 Magicka: 270/270 Level: 14
Skills: Animal Affinity (MAX LEVEL), Fast Skill Levelling (MAX LEVEL), Fast Magic Mastery (MAX LEVEL), Destruction (Fire/Lightning) (Level 29/30), Persuasion (Level 27), Smithing (Level 9), Sneak (Level 16), One Handed (Level 7), Restoration (Healing) (Level 7), Two Handed (Level 8), Lockpicking (Level 9), Archery (Level 7), Alteration (Level 4), & Enchanting (Level 9)
[Inventory Panel]
1x Steel Dagger, Iron Shield, Long Bow, Potions of Minor Stamina, Philter of Lockpicking, Steel Warhammer, Small Sack, Poacher's Axe, Copper and Onyx Circlet, Steel Mace, Helmet of Magicka, Cuirass of Minor Health, Steel Sword of Embers, Dwarven Bow of Paralysis, & Mammoth Tusk
2x Gold Garnet Rings, Gold Ring, & Scroll Of Fireball
3x Silver Garnet Rings, Silver Rings, & Sapphire
4x Lockpicks, Potions of Minor Magicka, Amethyst, & Giants Toes
6x Potions Of Minor Healing & Ruby
8x Iron Arrows
Weight: 131.5 KG / 375 KG
Septims = 52,561