[color=orange][center][u]15th of Sun's Dusk 4E 205, on route and around Windhelm[/u][/center][/color]

Dar'jhan felt tired, his feet hurting from the journey. The first part had been easy, with the roads that ran through the grassy hills and green fields, well taken care of along the White River. The second part was harder where he had to sneak past Fort Amol, afraid an arrow would be fired at him from the ramparts. When snow had began to fall and the temperatures dropped to very low levels, he was glad to secure some place to warm himself and sleep at Mixwater mill. Dar'jhan never really could get used to the cold and often wondered how the people could even live here. As he continued his journey in the morning that followed, everything around him had been covered by the snow, at times he could not even see the road anymore. He felt as if it had all been much easier when he was in the company of his fellow Khajiit. More than often he had cursed under his breath, himself for being foolish to undertake the journey, the snow when he slipped and Ulfric Stormcloak. At times he even cursed loudly not caring if someone would hear him. Everytime he quickly turned quiet again, eyes and ears on the road while being reminded of the occasional Stormcloak patrol from which he hid as soon as he caught wind of them. His keen sense of smell and hearing helping to evade them. It had shown him how dangerous this journey had become, especially when he could see the city in the distance and he was nearing the lion's den. Or rather the bear's cave.

Four days ago, he had been standing in front of the massive gates of Whiterun. The eyes of the guards in Stormcloak attire ever watching his every move. If it had not been for Brandr Stone-Biter, who had accompanied him and had given the guards his word he would keep an eye on him, he wouldn't have made it through the gates or even out of the hands of the guards. The city itself had looked beautiful to Dar'jhan, who had never been inside before, but it had felt as cold as the snow on the highest mountains and it had made Dar'jhan feel even less welcome. At the palace of the jarl, Dragonsreach, the guards had told him to wait outside, which he did for many hours before another guard came to tell him that the jarl was absent. Disappointed Dar'jhan and Brandr had gone to the Bannered Mare to get a drink or two, where Brandr had told the Khajiit about his warrior days during the Great War. The Nord had been a great warrior but those days had been long gone, he had said between two gulps of his mead. 

The day after it had been even worse. This time Brandr had to bribe the guards to get Dar'jhan inside and he had to wait even longer outside of Dragonsreach only to be told that the jarl was not seeing anybody that day. Once more they had ended the day in the Bannered Mare.

The third day, the guards had taken the bribe, yet they had not wanted to let him inside. It had taken all of Brandr's powers of persuasion that they had to see the jarl, for them to finally agree but not before one of them had asked Dar'jhan with a smirk if somebody had stolen his sweet roll. The nerve. Dar'jhan had been fuming and it had been because of Brandr that he had not taken out his sword and ran it through the guard. This time they were taken to the jarl where Dar'jhan finally had been allowed to tell his story and ask for the aid of the jarl. However before he had finished the story, the jarl had waved his hand and had simply said, in a very tired voice, that they would look into it. 

Dar'jhan had let himself be led to the Bannered Mare once more by Brandr, feeling depressed and angry. For almost the entire evening he had not spoken a word or touched his ale while Brandr had done his best to cheer him up. It had helped a little bit and he had been able to smile slightly again. Dar'jhan had asked in earnest why Brandr had been doing all of this for him, a stranger and a Khajiit and Brandr being a Nord. Then Brandr had told him that during the Great War, a Khajiit had saved his life and that by doing this for Dar'jhan he had felt like he was somehow returning the favour. It had made Dar'jhan respect the older Nord even more. Then one of the guards had come in, who Dar'jhan recognized to be the one from the gate, ready to spend the money he had gotten from Brandr to let the Khajiit in. A devious smile had formed on his face as Dar'jhan saw what the guard ordered and he got up from his chair. The guard had been sitting near the door, his eyes not towards him but distracted by the Nord woman close by. Before Dar'jhan left through the door, he had quickly swiped something of the plate of the guard while he was still distracted and checked his prize outside: A sweet roll.  

A few moments later someone had tapped his shoulder and Dar'jhan had almost been worried that it had been the guard but instead it had been a young woman. She quickly had given him a letter stating that he had dropped it and before Dar'jhan had the time to reply, she had already left. The letter had said that certain people had taken an interest in him, that they might be able to help him with his problem and he could help them with theirs. He had to go to Windhelm and meet at the stables there on the 15th of Sun's Dusk. It had all felt strange to Dar'jhan and perhaps it was a trap but he had decided he had nothing to lose so he told Brandr he had to leave. The Nord had been understanding and had merely nodded, giving him some supplies and dried meat for his travels. Dar'jhan had given the sweet roll to Ulfhild and thanked both her and her father for what they had done for him. One day he would repay them, this he promised. 

Now he was standing in front of the stables where he was supposed to meet. A cold wind was blowing and he shivered as he stood there looking around. 

“You're late.” Said a voice coming from behind him. “Others are already there.” 

It was the same woman from Whiterun, though he hardly recognized her. She was wearing the Stormcloak blues and Dar'jhan took a step back afraid that indeed he had walked into a trap. Though it looked like she was alone, still he was cautious. She saw the look in his eyes and grinned. 

“All part of the ruse. Just trust me, alright? I'm from the resistance against Ulfric Stormcloak. If you're interested to help us out, I'm sure we can help you as well.” She took a few steps in his direction as he relaxed a bit from her words but when she grabbed a pair of iron shackles his eyes turned wide again, ears flat against his head while moving a hand to his sword. 

“All part of the ruse.” She said once more in a calm voice. “I swear, you Khajiit are so jumpy. I need to get you inside the city so you will be playing my captive.” She let out a sigh as if she was getting bored telling him all this information. He gave her another look, grunted and decided to play along. 

The city guards at the gate found it very amusing to see a shackled Khajiit being harshly pushed forward towards them, captured by a fellow Stormcloak. Dar'jhan liked it less so but he played his part as was expected of him. He was introduced to them as a Khajiit turncoat, ready to spill the beans about the Thalmor to Ulfric Stormcloak and they gladly opened the doors after spatting on the ground in front of him.
The woman led him, still shackled, through what looked to Dar'jhan as a maze of narrow alleyways until she stopped in front of a house. It looked as cold and broken down as the rest of the small houses nearby and he hoped that at least they would have a fire burning inside.
She opened the shackles quickly and knocked on the door of the house.

“I hope the meeting hasn’t started yet. Others have arrived before you already.”
“Who are these others?” Dar’jhan asked as he raised his eyebrows.
She grinned at him. “You’ll soon find out. Good luck in there.”

The door opened up and he got pushed inside the dimly lit and sparse furnished room. As his eyes adjusted, he could see the other people in the room. He took a few steps closer to the fireplace, glancing at those present as he was sure they did the same. His eyes lit up and he flashed a grin.

[i]It seems i'll be joining allongside all kinds of men and mer[/i], he thought. [i]At least there is no Argonian...[/i]