The next two days of rain and storm's passed quicker than I would have liked. My Birth-Mother and Heart-Mother both coming to visit. As Wise-Woman my Heart-Mother traveled a little meeting other Wise-Women and searching out herbs and other potion ingredients. She had much news and confirmed what I had just supposed,
She had just visited another Strong-hold and they told her of a caravan that was heading in our direction, but when she caught up to it, it had been attacked and looted. She had hurried on her way home, as she did not know that it wasn't bandits and though she had small magic's and some skill with a blade, she was also the oldest of my Fathers wives. She had beaten my Brothers in by a few minutes only and was as surprised as the rest that they had been attacked by bandits. She was a smart female and it didn't take her long to know that what they had brought in were all trade goods, with little in the way of arm's or the types of armor that bandit's would have.
So my heart was heavy with the burden of dis-honor to our tribe, but I also knew I would not defeat all three of my Brothers in one day and that is what it would take. I thought about it long and hard, but if I challenged my Chief, then my 2nd Brother would issue challenge and if I defeated him, then my 3rd Brother would issue challenge. My Brothers were Orc warriors, as am I, the fights would not be short or bloodless.
Even with that, the thought of dying did not disturb me, as long as I took all three of them with me. That would leave my youngest Brother as chief and with our Mother's to guide him, he could bring honor back to our tribe. But this this would also leave the tribe very vulnerable to real bandit's attacking, not to mention some other male Orc that might decide to challenge him.
No leaving to bring honor to my name, gain enough recognition from other Tribes to start my own Strong-hold and bring in good wives, that is what I needed to do. Then my Mother's and brother could come to my Strong-hold, as long has he was under-age, he would come with his Mother. So three years at most, then he would be of an age to start hunting and my older brothers would think he meant to challenge.
The next morning dawned with cool drizzle the Wise-woman had said that it would stop mid-morning, so I readied to leave. I had gotten up well before dawn to pack up Shyla and have everything ready to go. I ate my breakfast and then cleaned the cabin so that it was neat and clean. I neared the door and then turned around and looked around the place one more time.
My Birth-Mother was standing next to Shyla when I got outside, "Hearth-Mother, Mother of my Heart, please keep my house in my absence. Here is some gold and gem's that I collected, please use it to keep up the place and as you see fit." I said this loud enough that the guards would hear, their was no way my brothers could take the cabin over, with out being completely un-honorable in the tribes eyes.
"Be honorable in all your dealings, fair in all things and humble before the gods. May Malacath lend you the strength to protect yourself." With that she laid her hand on my cheek and her head on my chest. she stayed like that for a brief minute and then walked quickly away into the Stronghold. I took one last look around and swung up on Shyla. I did not rush but set her to a quick walk, when we were far enough away, I changed direction slightly and headed to a pass a traveler had told me about, it wasn't the one most travelers used.
Once I found the clear trail I set Shyla to a ground eating lope, after a time I would slow her to a fast walk then get off and trot along side her. Late evening I found a small stream and a likely place for a good camp, I could see anything coming and I built a small fire to cook my dinner and then put it out, scattering the ashes around. I placed my bedroll on that spot after checking for embers and fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning I ate a cold breakfast of apple-tart's and a small flagon of berry juice. I fed Shyla an apple with a large bruise on it and the end of the bread loaf. That day was pretty much a copy of the day before, except I killed a mud-crab at a small pond and lit a very small fire to cook the legs, I ate one and put the rest in a storage bag tied to the saddle. I pulled out the map that I had made from copying the travelers, with some landmarks to look for written on the side.
I found the landmarks that he had said to look for and then thought a minute, nodding to myself I knew if I pushed some we would make it to the small hunters shack he said was at the base of the trail. I patted Shyla on the neck and told her that we would be running hard , but it would only be for a day or two. We kept up a ground eating pace all day and managed to get to the hunters shack a full hour before dark.
The hunter was more than happy to trade a few items with me. I gave him some salt and sugar and he traded my fresh meat and hides for some smoked venison, potatoes, carrots and snowberries. He gave Shyla some apples that were starting to turn and some hay. It was a pleasant night, the hunter giving me better directions and as it happened let me copy a map he had of Skyrim onto a piece of waxed paper.
" Are you heading into Skyrim to make a name for yourself young-one?" I laughed and said.
"Yes Grandfather, I had planned on doing just that". He chuckled as he wasn't all that much older than what my father would have been.
"Can I give you a small piece of advice?" I nodded so he continued, " The Orc's in Skyrim will consider you an outsider, as if you are not an Orc at all. So do not go strait to a Stronghold to seek acceptance or advice, for they will turn you away, until such a time as another Stronghold Orc of Skyrim makes you bloodkin..Or you make a name for yourself, then go and seek the Stronghold." With that the old Orc blew out the candle and rolled into bed, I to laid down on my bed-roll, but sleep did not come immediately.
I laid there staring at the ceiling, not really seeing anything. So, I would need to somehow make a name for myself before going to the Strongholds. As I thought of various different things I could do to make a name for myself, I drifted into sleep. The old hunter woke me before the sun had crested the mountains.
"Boy, if you need coin, hunt or do some bounty jobs" I started shaking my head, being a mercenary it was not always easy to pick the right side to be honorable, "No, Kurdan Gro-Olar listen, do bounty job's for the various Jarls. Most of them are honorable men and the job's they send you on would be to help their people, thus you can gain a name that is honorable among them by doing those types of jobs".
I looked at the old Orc and thanked him for his advice and hospitality. He walked away and I said loud enough to be hear, " Thank you Father for the advice, may Malacath lend you the strength to hunt well".
I mounted Shyla and hurried her up the path, we would sleep in Skyrim this night.
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