***************************

  That was hairy! I swear I won’t participate in this madness ever again, that’s it, I am done, don’t call me up when this happens again.

  Why would they make a meaningless match like that? Will it be alright if anyone went to Sovngarde this young?

  Nords! All they care about is music, fighting and mead. These people need to learn how to chill.

  They actually do chill, like that!

  We were now invited to a banquet in the garden of the Blue Palace and it’s all mead and bards.

  After the fight we were told to come to the Blue Palace like this, we could get healing in the arena but the food and mead will be presented in the palace.

  Won’t we need to dress or anything? I asked but Argir shook his head and said, "When Nords die, they go to Sovngarde with the gear they died with, what is more honorable than being in your battle gear." He said.

  "I never took you for the hardcore Nord and Sovngarde type!" I looked at Argir and said, this guy didn’t give that vibe at all.

  "The traditions are deep in Solitude, even though we are not like Windhelm, we are the capital and we have to be more careful with the traditions." He said, buffing his chest while holding his head.

  "How is your head by the way?" I asked while grinning.

  "I don’t know. That move of yours made my head feel like being hit by a giant." He said.

  This guy is having his hard time after the ’DDT’ he took, let’s leave him for now.

  I walked away from Argir and joined with Rusning and his team.

  "When will we be leaving?" I asked.

  "Didn’t the servants take your stuff already? We will set sail at first light." He said, "But we will spend the night in the ship."

  Hmmm! Good time plan, suits my other plan.

  "Did you get a good place like I asked?" I asked.

  "The ship is mostly empty. You can have as many places as you want. But who will be coming with you?" He asked.

  Ah! I didn’t think of cover to that.

  "Hmm, my servant." I thought fast and said while moving my face away.

  Rusning was taken aback but didn’t say anything.

  On the side of that team, Faralda was making a grumpy face.

  I asked Rusning what’s wrong with her.

  "She said that too many Nords in one place gives her headache." Rusning said.

  "That’s racist!" I retorted.

  High Elves are normally like that so all that Rusning could do was just to smile wryly.

  Never mind that now, food was one of the most important things I came here for.

  In the garden, there were many tables under sheds and a lot of food was served on them.

  I ate my fill from the venison meat, It was cooked really well and it was everywhere, how many deer did these guys kill?

  Some of the plates had mammoth steak, this thing was hard but it was very delicious too, back in my old world there were no mammoths, I couldn’t help but think that I am the first Egyptian ever to eat a mammoth.

  All in all, the Nordic cuisine was not that fancy, yet it had many dishes that focused on resisting the cold and being healthy.

  I didn’t do any otherworldly cuisine even though I recreated some food. Still, I couldn’t make any progress. I was researching how to make noodles and also was looking around for rice, I heard that there is rice in Cyrodiil but sadly, Skyrim doesn’t import it.

  Thinking about food this and food that, a servant came and told me that I was requested to come to the big table in the shade of the castle.

  There were fewer people there, these guys were the jarls and the other big shots from the VIP as well as Eorlund Grey-Mane and other representatives of the clans all over Skyrim.

  I went there and heard someone saying "Here he comes, haha!" It was High King Torygg, he was smiling at me and calling for me to come.

  People started gathering and the area became quite, Torygg stood up "This tournament was an exciting one, and we could see many young heroes and know their names, the one shone brighter however, was the victor."

  "The fights this year between the junior warriors opened the eyes of many people to many things……" Torygg kept saying to many stuff that I didn’t care about until he reached the end, "…… After saying all that I hope I didn’t make your heads heavier, now let’s give these guys their rewards."

  As he said that, some servants brought up small and big chests.

  The first few participants were rewarded according to their achievements.

  After some time, my turn came and I stepped forward followed by my team, Wulfur and Battle-Born who were dressed well and all.

  As we were in front of the king and jarls, Five weapons were put in front of me.

  "You and your team may choose a weapon each!" An old man stood next to a table that has five weapons on it said that.

  There was a saber, a bastard sword, an axe, a mace, and a warhammer, they somehow looked like the weapons from the game yet the design was different, these were the designs of ’aMidianBorn wolf armor and skyforge weapons’ mod, pretty impressive in real life.

  I was the first to pick, but when I looked at Wulfur I could read his mind, so I picked the saber, that choice of mine made some people surprised.

  I wanted the saber for a few reasons. First, I was going to use more magic from now on and I wanted a weapon that suits the use of one hand more than just a bastard sword that will need more force to control.

  The second reason was Wulfur, I could feel he wanted the warhammer, he always used warhammers better than me anyway, my only interest in big weapons came from my interest in fighting big opponents in the future, yet I thought that I don’t need to concern myself with that now.

  Wulfur looked at me surprised by my choice, I looked at him and said "What?"

  "Didn’t you always want a Skyforge Warhammer?" He asked.

  I looked at him strangely to continue my act then smiled, "Forged by you, brother." And said that. "Besides that, the one I have right now is pretty good."

  I looked away after that but I was pretty sure he was looking at me and thinking that I am an Idiot.

  Nevermind that now, after I chose the saber, Battle-Born went ahead and took the sword.

  "Young Jon, so you finally took the blade you wanted." The old man who stood behind the weapons said.

  "Aye, Uncle Eorlund, I am a man of my word and I said I will own a Skyforge sword once." Battle-Born grinned and said, "I will finish studying at the college for two years and I will be coming home. You know what for."

  "Haha! Let’s see if will are a man of your word that time." The old man who appeared to be Eorlund Grey-Mane laughed at Jon Battle-Born.

  As Battle-Born picked the sword and Wulfur picked the Warhammer, we received a paper that carried the seal of the High King. I can cash the reward by this paper from any official treasury in Skyrim. This paper will remain with me and our gainings from the gamblings will go to Wulfur and Svidi, they were almost the same amount.

  The party continued for some time after that and Faralda sent Rusning to tell me to be ready for leaving.

  Taking my leave from the big shots who were swarming me, I followed Rusning out.

  *************

  Back at the inn I finished preparing my chest which will be taken with me, it had my clothes and some money as well as my important stuff like the notes and all that, there was much other stuff yet they were stored into crates and were taken to the ship yesterday.

  Taking the books I left lying around back to the chest and making everything into order, I finally had nothing left in the room.

  I carried the chest down and handed it to one of the college’s servants that will take it to the ship.

  On me, was a bag the had some stuff I will be needing this night, this night was the night after all.

  I was dressed in the ’Casual Clothes’ that I bought from ’Radiant Raiments’ and returned to my casual dandy self.

  "So, I’ll be seeing you two years from now." I looked at Svidi who started crying, she held her fox with her and looked like a girl who was being abandoned.

  "Hey, I am feeling like a bad guy now." I patted her head then left out.

  Wulfur and Battle-Born were outside the inn talking with Rusning and his group, as they saw me getting out of the inn they looked at me.

  "I’ll be leaving you guys now." I said, "Don’t get into prison like last time I left you."

  "Bah! Look how shameless he can be! You were the one who left and went to the bathhouse that day." Battle-Born was annoyed.

  "Hehe! Next time I’ll be seeing you in Whiterun, You should make a grand celebration for your brother’s arrival." I said.

  "I’ll be making a celebration and all but it will be my wedding." He said with a grin.

  "And you big man, I’ll see you in a year. But what will you do in that year?" I asked.

  "The Legion was recruiting blacksmiths, I made a deal to work for a year. They pay much better here Riften here." He said.

  "The Legion huh! Just don’t do anything stupid like getting recruited or anything." I said as I was still skeptical about the future event.

  "Don’t worry! The workshop is right at the end of the shopping district so I won’t be seeing any action." He said.

  Aha! So that’s how it is! This blacksmith on the other side of the pet shop. I couldn’t help but grin at Wulfur and remind him of the bear he will have to raise.

  After conversing for a while, Faralda made her appearance and told everyone to hurry up and leave.

  I said my farewells and went behind the college group.

  *******************

  The dock of Solitude is a big place and held a lot of ships, I was not amazed as I have seen it before.

  What amazed me was Skadi’s appearance in the docks, she was coming down from a ship and her red hair was fluttering with the wind which gave her a very cool appearance, another man followed her, he was a giant among men and his long hair was all red and had a big beard.

  "Ah! Look who it is! Come here young Jon." I, who was following the college people got called by Skadi.

  "Wel-met Skadi." I said with a plain face.

  "See this man here? This is my eldest brother Njord." She said. "This boy is the one Hilda talked about."

  The man looked at me with some scary eyes, He was a giant, and true giant among giants would tremble from that look in his eyes.

  What’s wrong with this guy? Skadi said that’s her brother! Then shouldn’t he be my uncle or anything?

  He had the same features as me too, Red hair and blue eyes yet his eyes were so damn scary.

  He raised his left hand, he raised it high. I could see his hand reaching heaven, and now it was falling.

  The hell is that? Is he planning to kill me?

  Moreover, shouldn’t my body move in emergencies like these? Why is it not moving?

  His hand was getting closer, and it was targeting my right shoulder! My poor poor right shoulder.

  Goodbye! It was good knowing you, right shoulder. I’ll continue this journey without you.

  His palm fell on my shoulder!

  Pleasedon’tkillmePleasedon’tkillmePleasedon’tkillmePleasedon’tkillmePleasedon’tkillme!!!!!

  I could feel my imaginary HP bar being drained like crazy.

  Yet I was still standing! I endured!

  "Skinny!" The giant, I mean the man said.

  "You are the large one." Skadi said. "Besides, he won the tourney, you know."

  "If a youngster from our clan couldn’t win this so-called tournament then the elders will disown them." Njord said, he held tighter on my poor right shoulder.

  I could already see that, what does that clan feed you to grow this big anyway?

  "Just let him go……" Skadi said and pushed his arm away from me, "Sorry about this Jon. This guy is the one who controls the ships’ business in our clan so he is a bit of a pirate, haha!"

  More like a Poseidon incarnation, Davy Jones will pay tribute to this man if they crossed path.

  "Fine boy! Will be seeing you in a year! Grow taller a bit if you want to survive the ceremony." Njord said as he left towards the city.

  "He will be just fine." Skadi glared at him, "Don’t worry about him, he is normally like that!"

  I massaged my shoulder and looked at her and mumbled, "I am more worried about Wulfur now!"

  Skadi opened her eyes wide and said "Crap!" then she ran in the direction where Njord disappeared.

  Well!

  Whatever it is! Good luck Wulfur! I am bailing out from this one.

  It seems that I have a crazy family in this life.

  Let’s hope this crazy uncle doesn’t kill Wulfur with a ’Thunder-Pat’.

  Now, let’s return to reality, we have a night operation now.