Balgruuf the Great, Chapter 22 (Patreon)

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Baltafarian

Of course, the reward for a job well done is even more work. And it was best that I get to it as soon as I could.

The crown of Skyrim aside, I had to first focus on local matters in Whiterun and it is from this seat I was going to turn into the model I had envisioned for Skyrim. After all, if I was planning to introduce reforms to Skyrim, I would have to convince the other Jarls of its benefits and there was no higher form of persuasion than results.

"Here are the books you requested," a mature voice announced. Looking up from my table, I glanced up to see Helga approach with a stack of books in her hand.

"Deposit them on my table, please," I replied, eyeing the blonde woman deposit the books there before she turned around to return to her desk and attend to something there. It had been a few days since I had returned from Markarth and I was anxious to return to work as soon as I could. I had been told that Helga, Siddgeir's mother, had found a sort of calling doing clerk work. If she wasn't taking care of her son, she was inside my office doing numbers or pencil-pushing boring but much needed work.

I mean, I had no qualms about her doing that but the image of a Nordic noblewoman doing pencil-pusher work was still quite funny to me.

But back to my job, I took on of the books and skimmed through it. Surely enough, it was just as I expected.

As it stands, the city established by the Companions stood as Skyrim's center of trade, it's premier real estate location on trade routes helping it become wealthy from tolls and whatnot. Furthermore, it also had its own sources of revenue coming primarily from farms that produced quite a lot of foodstuff to be sold all around Skyrim, not many Holds after all had the benefit of having such bountiful plains like Whiterun. It also had a decent forestry industry mostly from the border between Falkreath and Whiterun though there was no doubt Dengeir's Hold was king in terms of timber. Then, there was also another unexpected source of income which was tourism money. There were many travellers that came by to visit the Standing Stones as well as the Gildergreen, which still bloomed quite wonderfully.  And speaking of things inside the city, we come to the city itself.

The city itself had quite the service-oriented industry, with its many blacksmiths, artisans, and other service related work. While Whiterun wasn't exactly a place of high culture compared to say, Solitude, it certainly held its own.

And from this info, I began to plan.

Writing down on paper, I wrote my agenda. Firstly, there would be changes starting from the top. Whiterun already had a pretty alright bureaucracy but an expansion would not hurt considering that I wanted to widen the city's scope. Measures would have to be introduced to limit corruption, such as double-entry bookeeping. If someone was putting their grubby paws in the trough, they were going to get their paws cut. Secondly, good old fashioned free trade introduced to the city. Once I ascended to Jarl, removing the tolls for entering the city would be a priority. The many guilds present would certainly resist, seeing it a threat to their livelihoods. I would have to either integrate them into the reforms or set them aside, I leant on the latter however. Thirdly, an expansion of the guard.

With the inevitable increase of traffic going to and from Whiterun, banditry was going to be an issue that would increase. To solve this, the city guard would have to be expanded. That meant more workers to produce weapons and arms, men to use said weapons and armor, and a pool of talent to be its officers. Thankfully, there were still fellow veterans who hadn't been able to find work in the city and not using their talents would be a waste. Thanks to the silver coming from Markarth, funding wasn't going to be an issue.

As I scribbled and wrote, I felt eyes stare at me from the corner. I stopped writing, and saw Helga staring at me or rather, at the item I held in my hand.

"What is that?" she demanded to know.

"This?" I asked, holding up the ball-point pen in my hand. "This is what I call a ballpen. It was something I had commissioned in the Imperial City since I found the quill taxing to use."

"And all this time, you've been using it and haven't told me?" said Helga. "Do you have any idea how awful my fingers have been feeling? They've been sore from the amount of times I've been using them," she ended with a groan.

I listened, then I snickered. From her seat, Helga looked at me confused before realization and a blush broke out on her cheeks. "You are a childish and lewd degenerate," she hurled at me.

"You forget, my lady, I may be an officer, but an officer is still a soldier. And soldiers are very much indeed childish and lewd degenerates. Why do you think we have infantry manuals?" I retorted.

The blonde woman shook her head, putting her attention back to my pen. "That pen of yours, I want one. Spreading it to the scribes would also help work getting faster."

I shrugged my shoulders. "If you want one, I'm more than happy to spread it."

"Why not start a small company to manufacture this? I'm sure many would be happy to purchase it," suggested Helga, the blush on her cheeks fading. I could already see the gears inside her brain turn as she thought about the numbers and logistics required to start a company.

I thought of her suggestion, and found it a good one. I had been so focused on planning things for the hold and forgot about things for myself. "That is a good idea, my lady. If you'd also be willing to invest money as well, I'd be happy for us to start a joint company."

Helga hummed. "I suppose it would give me extra things to do, and I would not say no to a money-making venture."

As Helga considered the numbers, I glanced her way to look at the woman. "I haven't asked you this before, recent events have been a drain for me, but how are you feeling? Is little Siddgeir growing well?"

For a second, the woman remained silent. Then, she answered. "I am...well. There isn't a single second where I do not miss Falkreath, how I wish to go and stroll alongside the waters of Lake Ilinalta, be with my uncle and help run the Hold. How I...miss my husband," she choked a little, but continued. "But I am slowly coming to peace with it. Thors would have wanted me to be happy. But, I still miss him."

I nodded along. "I understand that. I have made and lost many friends during the war and there is not a single second that I miss them," Not mentioning the friends and family I have lost in Earth, and the fact that I would never see my homeland again. "But I do not think I should let myself be consumed by melancholy and sadness. Having those memories I had with them will mean they will never be truly forgotten, and for their sake, I shall continue to live. And when death claims us, see them again in Sovngarde."

Helga nodded along but a questioning look came onto her face. "But the pain never goes away,"

"That is true. But even then it has its purpose, to make us remember the good times and value them even more," I spoke slowly as I chose my words.

Helga sat silently as she digested my words. Then, she said softly. "You remind me of my husband,"

I raised my eyebrow. "Before the war, Thors and I used to have many discussions like this, talking simply about anything while we worked. You reminded me of him, because he did not focus too much on war and battle like the rest of our kin. He also refined other parts of himself too, like his mind. He oftened questioned what it meant to be a warrior."

As I thought of an answer, I heard a knock at the door. "Open," I announced out loud. There was a creak as the door swung open and a familiar dark-haired face came in.

"Can I come in?" asked Freydis. She was dressed in riding leathers and looked like she just returned from somewhere. Clutched in her hand was a letter.

"Of course," I greeted my sister-in-law neutrally. The black-haired woman nodded and took a step into my office.

"May we talk privately?" she requested timidly. I glanced to Helga who was already standing up, "I have to check on how Siddgeir is doing," she announced as she walked round her table and headed for the door. Soon, she was gone and only Freydis and I remained.

"May I sit?" Freydis asked.

"It's strange for you to be this deferential," I commented as I bid her to sit. She tensed visibly, her fingers clutching at her knees.

Ever since my near run-in with her, I had kept myself at arms length from my sister-in-law. She was a fine looking woman, that was no doubt, but she was my brother's wife and banging her while Hrongar was still alive was just...a betrayal of the highest order. I'm not exactly a saint by any measure but doing her while they were both still married and Hrongar still alive was disgusting.

With a sigh, she pushed forward the paper she held in her hand towards me. I took it from her, twisted it, and read it aloud.

My voice became...heavier as I read.

"Dear Freydis

I am truly sorry I have failed to write to you these past few months. Know that I did not write to you not because I did not want to nor did I forget you, but because I was sworn to an oath of secrecy. I write this letter now thanks to approval from the higher officers here. When Hammerfell rebelled against the Dominion trying to occupy their lands, volunteers were called to assist the Redguards in defeating the Dominion. I had volunteered. Do not ever think that I had forgotten about you and our child. After the war, there was nothing more but I wanted but to return home to you and Lydia but when the call came for volunteers, I had to go and do my duty not only to the Empire but also my duty as a husband and a father.

Freydis, my love. I have seen what the Dominion have done and could do to people. My brother and I have seen what these so-called civilized elves could do to those who could not fight back. I have seen homes torched and families destroyed in ways that defies cruelty. Everytime I saw those, I could only think of the same thing happening to you and it terrified me. If the elves control Hammerfell, the Empire will be in danger and it is the only thing that is stopping the elvish blade falling upon our family and Skyrim.

Take heart that the Redguards are rallying together and the elves are on the breaking point. If we defeat them, they will have no choice but to leave Hammerfell. There is a chance that this letter might be my last. I have lost too many friends and comrades in this war. But I do not regret it, for if I fall on the battlefield, I do so to protect our family, you and little Lydia.

If I fall, know that I love you, always. But do not despair, my love, for I know that we shall meet in Sovngarde, and we shall feast with our forefathers for all time.

Take care of little Lydia for me, and tell her that papa loves her now, always, and forever.

- Hrongar,"

My heart never felt so heavy, reading the letter that my brother wrote. Hrongar was my bro, both in blood and in battle. To hear him after so long was just...

"It's Hrongar alright, I recognize his handwriting," I said stiffly, failing to quench the emotion in my voice. I did not add the fact that Hrongar wasn't exactly this well-spoken and could have most likely asked for the input from a more prosy comrade.  I put the letter back on the table and glanced up to look at Freydis. 

She sat still, but her eyes were red with tears, droplets of it sliding down her cheek. She tried to speak but couldn't, her words dying in her mouth.

"Freydis?" I said softly, concern in my voice. With that, the dam broke as the woman wept. Covering her face with her hands, she sobbed uncontrollably, whispering. "I am ashamed! I am ashamed!"

Sighing, I stood from my chair and crossed my table to embrace the woman. She gripped into me, crying into my stomach. For a few minutes, I stood in silence, letting her sob in peace before eventually, she pulled back. I offered her a handkerchief, to which she accepted.

"I...I thought Hrongar had left us, for honor and glory despite having it aplenty," sniffed Freydis, wiping away at the tears in her cheeks. Her eyes were still red however. "He...we were both the same in that area. We loved battle, we loved fighting and winning. He and I were warriors. But when we married, settled, and had a family....there was something a bit more important than glory."

I nodded along, listening to her as she spoke her heart out.

"So when he did not return with you despite promising so much that he would when the war would end, I felt...betrayed. And because of that..." She bit her lip. "I thought of betraying him back in turn."

"So when you tried to seduce me..." I trailed. She nodded, her face red with shame.

"I wanted it. When you didn't....I found someone else," she admitted, motioning to her riding gear. Admittedly, I felt a pang of anger at that admission, I burned with rage that she would betray my brother just like that, but then I remembered that I almost slept with her as well, and so, I stilled my tongue.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"A stable lad, young, impressionable, eager to please," Freydis sighed. My heart sank with each passing word. I pulled back, leaning on my desk as support.

The sheer bloody scandal of this would be...unimaginable if it got out.

"Who...knows?" I managed to choke out.

"Only you...I managed to be discrete with it," said Freydis, after a few seconds silence. I stared at her, not entirely believing her.

"There was one time....the master of the stables nearly caught us. He saw the stable lad with someone, but did not know it was me," the woman quaked.

"Sister-in-law," I spoke, after a moments silence. "I shall ask you now, what do you intend?"

Freydis sank on her chair. "I shall no longer see that boy, and I shall gather my things to join my husband."

I raised an eyebrow. "Join him? You intend to travel all the way to Hammerfell to join Hrongar? You do realize the war would have ended by the very moment you arrive there. And what about Lydia?" My mind went off to think about the upcoming and final Redguard victory. It takes months to travel from province to province and by the time she'd arrive, the war would have been over. There was also Lydia, who was now a fast growing infant.

Freydis bit her lip. "Then what should I do? I cannot stay here in Dragonsreach until my husband returns, the boy is young and eager and I'm...excitable."

I stood, thinking. There was always the option of stepping in to stop the kid from talking or giving him a lump sum, a promotion somewhere not in the city, and buy his silence. Or, we could always have him murdered. No, the kid is innocent. I wasn't going to send Irileth to murder a poor lad whose only crime was banging a member of the Jarl's family.

But if he refuses to stop seeing her, then drastic options would have to be considered.

"Alright, look," I started. "You shall stop meeting the lad and I will buy his silence. Focus on raising Lydia and if you want action, I shall have something for you to do. How's your sword-arm?"

"It's still strong as ever, why?" she asked, confused.

I glanced outside the window, looking at the Hall of the Companions, the Skyforge overlooking the thatched hall. "What do you know about, Wuuthrad, Ysgramor's Axe?"

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A/N: A preview of what is to come. This chapter is just going to be light, with some interactions with Helga and Freydis. Oh and, Hrongar has finally sent something to Freydis, after a long while.

Edit 1: Added Freydis's parts! I shall be continuing this soon!

Edit 2: Finally completed it. What do ya'll think?