Stin

The Help of a Thalmor

Asteria is sitting in the library late at night again, continuously pouring over books. She has been in Markarth for almost a few months now and she has been making progress on finding out who this Miraak is. It isn't much progress, but enough to give them an aspect of who he was. Apparently, he was alive when dragons ruled over the land of the mortals and was a dragon priest, whatever those are. Ayla would know more.

Asteria is not blind to the progress of the war outside of Markarth. She knows the Empire fell, she could barely hear the dragons from Markarth. The city gossips loved talking about the war; who will win, what side is better, so on and so forth. However, the have been reports of Forsworn unrest in the region and many Markarth citizens fear an attack due to the amount of success the Stormcloaks have had.

Of course, Asteria can't go a day without hearing about the Empire's defeat since that is all Ondolemar wants to talk about. That and how the Thalmor will 'put the rebellions down for good'. He always said it with such confidence as well that made Asteria almost pity the man; so devoted to an organization that would rather let him die than ever break a sweat to save him. She is grateful she avoided such a fate.

Asteria would have left Markarth weeks ago had Ayla not send her a letter requesting her to remain in the city for two reasons. One is to keep digging up information on Miraak, which Asteria is certain she will find nothing more since she has already read through the majority of the library's books. And the second reason is to keep an eye on things both inside and outside of Markarth. Apparently, Jarl Ulfric is nervous about a Forsworn rebellion and would like to have a heads up if such a thing were to happen.

Asteria agreed, of course. She could do more for the war in Markarth for those two reasons than she could back at the base where she ordered scholars about and hibernated within the dwarven ruins. Here she could do three things; gather even more info on Miraak, keep an eye on the Forsworn and a Thalmor.

~

"Jarl Thongvor, sir!" a guard calls out loudly one day as Asteria is making her way towards her chambers for a few hours of rest after staying up all night reading. She stops at the top of the stairs and goes to head right when the guard runs into her, knocking her forward. She would have fallen had a strong hand not grab her upper arm. She stands back up and turns to scold the guard only to find him in front of the Jarl, obviously not caring one bit that he just ran into someone.

"The nerve of these Nords," an all-too-familiar voice sneers bitterly from beside her and she turns to see none other than Ondolemar standing there, arms folded across his chest and glaring at the guard, "runs into a superior and doesn't think to stop and apologize. The Jarl should learn how to punish people like him for such things,"

Asteria closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before looking back at the man, "it was an accident," she begins with a small smile, clasping her hands in front of her where her fingers begin to fidget with the fabric of her robes, "I didn't see him coming and it is obvious he has something important to report,"

Ondolemar scoffs, "that shouldn't excuse him for running into a Mer," he repeats, sending a pointed glare over at the guard, "I should find out his name and make a note of it so we can properly punish him once the rebellions are extinguished,"

"You don't know that the Thalmor will win for sure," Asteria begins, shaking her head a few times before looking up at the Thalmor male. Ondolemar raises a brow and stares down at her, contemplating his next words.

"Lady Asteria!" the Jarl yells out before Ondolemar could speak. She holds the male's gaze for a few more seconds before turning to face Jarl Thongvor, lips curling up into a small smile as she approaches the stone steps.