Chapter 86 - The Challenge

[Wulfur's POV]

Winterhold is the coldest place in the world, no argue about that. We Nords don't mind cold, no argue about that. Then why? Just why is this forge so damn hard to fire.

I only arrived here a week ago and I am supposed to be Jon's chief blacksmith, but things are not all butterflies and unicorns as he used to say.

Starting a fire in this town is tough. A blacksmith needs to have a good source of air but with the wind in this town, I am facing a challenge after a challenge.

Jon suggested something long ago like applying a magical rune to keep the forge hot and running but I am normally used to adding 'Fire Salts' to the forge in Riften with the techniques I learned from Old Balimund so it served me good up until now even in Solitude with its cold see air.

Yet, I am hating this town nonstop since I came.

I only arrived here after Ongeim Scar-Mouth paid me a visit with a request for a capable blacksmith to keep the sailors and Jon's guards all geared up against the pirates.

When he came, he had a letter for me that came from the Headmistress or who should I call Arch-Wizard Nurina now. It was the same shopping list she sends to Jon. Now I learned the feeling of how hard it is to deal with such an irresponsible person as Nurina.

Before I leave, I was a bit worried for Svidi and Bjorna.

Svidi seemed to be having fun lately, but Bjorna on the other hand was having trouble with eating lately.

Anyway, after having a trip my life was changing super fast.

The first day I arrived here, I had to deliver everything to Nurina and deal with her nagging about her new student. Apparently a girl called Alina with some background was forced on her to be her apprentice by the Arch-Mage of the College and that girl issued a challenge against Jon for the title of 'Nurina's Legacy Apprentice'.

Not that I care. Jon can do magic since he was five, why would she bother to begin with?

The second day I started working on the forge and I got a nice house from Jon's properties. Seemed to me like he is the Jarl of this place now. Everyone is worshipping his name.

The third day, the wind became violent and the work stopped. I paid a visit to 'Jonald the Drumph' the best wall builder in town to build me a windbreaker around the forge.

[A/N: and he appears again. All Hail!]

The forth day, I discovered that one of the Bathhouse girls in Solitude became the Bathhouse mistress in Winterhold and works under Jon. When I went to the Bathhouse, I received a very good treatment and all. This Jon, he is an expert in luxury as usual.

The fifth day, we woke up at dawn by the town's alarm. On the sea, a pirate ship was sailing very close to the docks. The pirate's flag was red with three cuts. This is the banner of 'The Blood Horkers'. Trudvar, Jon's housecarl, took some men and fortified the slope with crossbows the whole day.

The sixth day, the pirates left and it appeared to be a provocation. Maybe they were trying to scout the situation and saw it will be hard to attack. I suggested that we increase our preparation as I suspect that the next time they come, the pirates will also be more prepared.

The seventh day, this morning, something weird happened. Trudvar came to me saying that he caught a thief trying to steal from my workshop, but they heard a scream and because of it, they found the thief.

Aside from the thief, the scream came from 'The Screaming Chest'. An old trick that Brynjolf taught me, it is about attaching a whistle to a small mechanism in the chest, once it gets opened forcefully, it makes the whistle produce some movement in the inside of the whistle and it starts screaming.

This was how the thief got caught. After catching the rascal, he was locked in some hole under the Bathhouse. it seemed that Jon had anticipated something like that and prepared something for questioning the thieves.

The thief was beaten up until the morning. After he talked, we found out that he was after my tools in the workshop.

After further investigation, it appeared that he works for the pirates. This cowardly move of his was to gain merits and stall our work process.

I haven't seen the big picture that big before but it seems that this is how fights happen in large groups.

I am sure now, a big fight is upon us, and until the day Jon finishes his training, we are to defend this ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Jullanar's POV]

Luaffyn!

Ah! I met her after all these years.

I slapped her to my heart content.

I always wanted to kill her but He showed me how much of a pity woman she is. If I killed her, how can she be tormented more and more?

Her life itself was enough as a punishment. Pure Dunmer are mostly selfish and self centered so she won't kill herself.

After we left her room. I wanted to grab my gear and go murder Oblivion out of that man but He pulled me and told me not to go.

He said, "You think you can handle him alone."

I said, "I want revenge for my mother. At least give me that choice."

He smiled, He was amused, He grabbed my neck and pulled me closer. I heard His voice whisper in my ears. His words made me obey. I can't go against him.

He said I am His woman, He said He can't let me do this alone, He said we are meant to kill together.

Yes, yes! How could I forget! "I am sorry. Please, Jon kill him with me."

"That's my girl!" He said it. It made me happy.

How can I ever disobey him!

How can I ever say no to him.

He is my precious! My love! My God!

The next day, he took me to the arena and we arranged a challenge against that hateful person. I was a bit rude to Jon but just as the sun went down, I apologized for my rudeness.

Next morning, we are having mother's revenge.

I hope, I just hope that next morning, I don't act rudely towards him.

***

Goddammit!

Why do I always wake up naked and in his embrace.

Him! Of all people.

I can't believe it!

What was I thinking last night?

I know he doesn't do anything to me but this has to stop.

"You're awake?"

"Yes, let's keep sleeping for a bit!"

He took his arm around me and pulled me beside him again.

"Hey, mind where you touch!"

"Really? I didn't grab anything soft so no harm, right?"

This! This! How can he bully me like that? *sniff*

"Let me go you Idiot!"

"Hahaha!"

Why is he laughing?

I could barely escape from him after that.

He looked somehow tired though?

Come to think of it, his temperature was a bit off now.

Hmmm! He may catch cold this way. I think he used to keep some medicine for that in the potion bag.

Where is it? Where is it? Aha, here it is.

He already started waking up.

"Hey, take that."

"Eh, that? Okay..."

He took the medicine right away.

Thank goodness, now I'll go lo...

"Hey Jull."

"Hm?"

"Thank you!"

Eh? Wha? What is he saying? Why is he smiling like that?

"C, Choke on it, idiot, I wasn't worried about you or anything."

Gaah! He is making me angry again.

I can't take it anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Jon's POV]

Jull was full on Tsundere day mode this morning. I don't know what got into her, but I guess it has to do with everything going on lately.

Anyway, she gave me some medicine this morning and looked super cute when I teased her after it.

Well, let's get this day started.

Ongeim came to see me and said he was going to set sail. It will take him five days to get back to Wimterhold.

The last thing I had to do in this city is the challenge we have tonight.

We made it look like two amateur fighters are looking big and trying to challenge a senior.

After a fast breakfast we went back to 'The Pit'.

The place was crowded but we found a spot with the fans around the pit.

Benkum, the arena manager, was all smiles as it seemed today was a big day for him and he wanted to make lots and lots of money.

He started his usual game manager speech saying that the matches will be held as scheduled with a little bit of extra as some new blood will be challenging the veteran fighters.

Everyone laughed at the idiots who got themselves into trouble fighting the veterans. Everywhere, those kinds of idiots existed but they had no fighting future as veterans tend to break green horns badly. But that is in normal cases.

Anyway. The matches started and I was bored as hell. Slow, brutish, and had no style.

Some time later, the matches started to get more heated and the contenders were fighting all out.

I noticed some brute fighting bare handed against weapon users. He was not exactly bare handed as he is using metal vambracers and metal gauntlet.

"Hey look, Iron-Fist is going all out today!"

"Yeah! Energetic as usual!"

Hmmm! I guessed so too.

So that is him.

He looked like some puffed up guy with a shaved head and no facial hair. He used some skillful punching techniques and looked capable. He was fighting a death prisoner so he didn't hold back.

Even when the opponent got all beaten up and his blood splashed around, Iron-Fist just laughed and licked the blood on his face.

Yep, he's an a$$hole.

The matches kept going until we reached the end. For some reason, Jullanar who was full of anticipation is now absent minded.

"And now, for the final challenge. The new blood, Darth Vader and his partner under the hood have issued a challenge against Iron-Fist."

"Hahaha! This is bad!"

"By the nine! Someone is challenging him?"

Mobs started saying what mobs say. I was getting myself to the stairs to get in the pit.

After the wait, I was standing with Jull in the pir against the man. He was tall and bulky with a closer look, not that it matters anyway.

"Listen kiddo, let's make it fast. I don't know who fooled you to challenge me but I don't want to send you to your graves. We fight for a minute then you will take one hit and don't get up. It will look good bu..."

"Whatever!" I replied nonchalantly.

"Huh?"

"If we can't beat you in the first minute then it's all to waste anyway."

"So you are going for it huh?"

"Fight!"

I was in no mood to talk with a dead man any further!

I had a spear in my hand and with it I rushed at him.

As he saw me approaching as he thought about grabbing the spear or breaking as from his point of view, I was slow.

Just as I got close enough to the point he is in my reach. I increased my speed in a blink and sticked the spear head in the ground. With it like that, I used it to perform a high jump and in a blink of second, I was over his head.

The shock on his face was visible as I was flying over him. He tried to raise his hand and grab the nearest part of me but he completely forgot something. Jullanar just rushed a second later after me and was stabbing with her spear at him. She was still expressionless but her stab was fierce.

The man realized the danger and barely could jump to dodge the incoming attack.

Even though her attack missed, Jull's movement were sharp and agile. She was clearly in the zone.

I closed in again and kept putting the man in a bad spot after the other. After three minutes, we have finished dismantling him.

He was on one knee barely able to stand. His body was full of cuts and purses.

Yo, You bastard!"

"We are just getting started." I declared out making a smug face.

"I'll get you brat!"

"No you won't!" Jullanar replied at him.

"Move!" He was about to stand up but I kicked him to remain on the ground once again.

Jull removed her hood and looked at him. He also looked at her.

The people around the arena gasped. The didn't think the girl who always hid her head with a hood would be an elf. And from what they made out, she was a half Dunmer.

Iron-Fist was shocked, from his eyes I could see a deep shock.

"So it was you?" He said.

Jullanar's look was cold and indifferent but she replied to him.

"It is good that you realized who am I. Now, let's get to business."