JoS/Henriette/18th Journal - Payback

Sun's Height, 20th, 4E 202

I arrived at Karthwasten at the break of dawn. It's a small town, maybe half the size of Riverwood, not really any kind of travel destination, as they don't even have an inn. They rely extensively on ore and trade, and now those Nords are here because they want to take that revenue from them. Damn Silver-Bloods were picking on the locals when I arrived. Meanwhile, these people living here also get trouble from the Forsworn, effectively being picked on by both sides. Man, do I sympathize with them! Most of them are Bretons too.

I approached the village leader Ainethach and asked if there's any way I can help them, to which he simply commented that there's probably not anything a puny little girl can do… But in an off chance that I could do something, he asked me to get rid of them by any means necessary. I don't think they really knew who he was dealing with, so I asked, "that means I can kill them, right?" He said I'm welcome to try, but also warned me to not do anything that'll get me killed.

I had been waiting to pay back to those scumbags for a long time…

These men were pretty well equipped and their chief in particular had one of the most impressive Nordic Steel armor sets I've ever seen. No matter, I snuck into the mine and killed them one by one… Until I met their leader and pressed my dagger against his neck, telling him that he has made a mistake in allying himself with the Silver-Blood scum. He shouted for help, but when he quickly realized that everyone else was already dead, he just asked what in Oblivion do I want, that he would do anything to please me. He said he's just a mercenary, and that he's not even part of the family. He doesn't know what my problem is with them, but he's not part of it.

"Guilty enough", I told him as I bit into his flesh. I feasted on every bit of blood I could muster out from his pathetic body, and as soon as I was done, I took his head off his shoulders. I then carried it to Ainethach, who seemed a little horrified by the sight of blood running down my jaw. "These guys won't bother you anymore", I said. I then told him to forget about paying me, as killing those guys already satisfied me in more ways than a purse of gold ever could. Instead, I asked him to shut up about me being, well… Me. I didn't outright tell him that I'm a Vampire, but something tells me that he realized it.

I think I had impressed one of them, as he approached me, talking something about Forsworn kidnapping his daughter. Really, a daughter he says? She's apparently the only young woman in this entire village, so she's obviously the girl I'm looking for. I said that I'm actually here looking for her, that she's a Sybil of Dibella. Well, the father was absolutely ecstatic about the news, and told me where she could be held hostage. If I were to save her, he would personally reward me handsomely.

So, I set on a journey to the Tower captured by the Forsworn… Talk about reopening old wounds. I have to deal with the Silver-Bloods and the Forsworn all over again.

Sun's Height, 22nd, 4E 202

I was told that this is a tower, but really, it's a castle. Well, the tower is a part of it. I didn't really even know how to go about infiltrating the place, and that was for a reason. I never got a chance to even shoot one of the men guarding this tower before they had captured me.

They were joking about how it's not every day that whores just march in from the front door, usually they have to go raid villages to get them. It was about to get really ugly really fast, but one of the men told his friends to wait, and that he knows me. I immediately recognized him too. "That's the girl", he said, "the one who was imprisoned with us in Cidhna Mine."

He's Braig. As he himself said, he was with me in that prison, and he was one of my favorites down there. Now, he has apparently climbed some ranks, as he's the second in command here, right under the Briarheart. He wondered what I was doing here and scolded me about being told that Forsworn are my enemies now, that Madanach still longs to have me in his harem. He said that I should've stayed away from the Reach.

This castle is one of the most important bases of operation for the Forsworn, a lot of slaves and sacrificial lambs move thought this place, young women who are either destined to live in slavery, or to be butchered for the gods. I immediately asked him, which one is Fjotra. He asked me, how do I know that name, and I answered truthfully that I've been sent here to save her, and that she's a Sybil of Dibella.

After that, it was silent.

Braig sighed deeply and tried to explain to me that Madanach himself has an interest in this kid. So wait, I thought, she's a child? Indeed she is, about my age actually. Madanach isn't as hot about children as he is about teenagers and young adults, but he has a longing for certain someone, and that he likes to get them young anyway so they can be raised into fine bitches… I didn't have to ask him to clarify that this someone was me. I just knew.

It had only been me and him talking for a while, but then one of his men told me that they should let Fjorta go and take me instead. Braig said that it's not for him to decide, but rather their leader. After that, they took me up to the tower.

There was an old, giant Dibellan statue here along with a shrine, now completely ruined and covered in blood. Was that just a coincidence? I'm not sure. There were actually five women there already, four of who were already in their late teens or early twenties. It wasn't hard to figure out who Fjorta was. The Briarheart never even let Braig speak. He just laughed, tapped him on the shoulder and said good job to him, and dismissed him immediately. Then, he yelled that they have a new one, and let them have at me.

I was let off pretty easy… Well, considering that it was still a gangrape. Most of the men here were already satisfied, for the most part anyway. They took their sweet time, pinned my back against the floor and held me down with all their weigh… One by one, they did me in missionary position. They didn't even feel like using toys or any kind of bondage equipment, they didn't have any drugs either. They kept laughing about how wealthy I was, talking about how I must be some kind of successful adventurer, but not successful enough! My life as an adventurer is now over according to him and all my earthly possessions now belong to them… Same old bandit drivel I've heard before…

Then, they threw me into the cell with Fjorta. She asked me if I'm okay, and I nodded slowly. I told her that I was actually sent here to save her, that she might be a Sybil of Dibella, and I'm supposed to take her to the temple. She wouldn't believe me, but she was at least happy that people are trying to save her. I said that I still intend to do just that… How, I do not know…

Sun's Height, 24th, 4E 202

So, my dearest diary… It seemed near impossible for me to even figure out how to get away from here, on my own anyway. Braig came to me, for three reasons actually. First, he wanted to do me again just the way he used to do in the past. He was just as wonderful as always… He may have dressed it as a rape in front of his friends, but we really were just making love for real.

Second, he said that Madanach will be coming here and once he does, my days might as well be numbered. The security that is to be expected where his base of operations is located is around equal to what it's in the Cidhna Mine, except that if I end up in there, there's no way anyone would actually help me escape.

Lastly, he said that he wants to prevent this. He actually wants to get away himself, that he doesn't want to ally himself with the Forsworn anymore, that maybe we could work together. He had wasted so much of his life with the Forsworn, he never wanted to be part of them anyway, but now he is caught in a vicious circle he just can't seem to break. In other words, he wants to start over, but he doesn't know how or where. He asked me, how do I manage? How am I able to stay free and out of trouble for the most part?

I told him that first of all, I don't. I have a lot of enemies and a lot of people who want me either dead, imprisoned or enslaved, but that I also have some good friends to rely on. Most of these friends aren't law abiding citizens, and that my situation might not actually be much different actually… Except for the fact that I also have a family in addition to having friends. When he wanted me to clarify I told him that I want him to join the Dark Brotherhood. He could stop living his life in the wilds as a mere Bandit, he could start over, he could feel much safer and more importantly, he would feel accepted… He was a little hesitant to jump from one group of criminals to another, as it necessarily isn't what he had in mind for his future. It was a little hard convincing him, but in the end, he said that he'll do it.

It was a done deal, but there was still the little issue of actually breaking out. I told him, let me handle that. He brings weapons to me and the other prisoners so we can all escape together. Some of the women here are adventurers on their own right, so it's not going to be like I'm going to be ambushed from every direction like the last time. Besides, here in this tower, we had the high ground, we had some traps, some rocks to push down the stairs… Long story short, we were able to make it out thanks to his betrayal.

I told him to meet me in Dawnstar, that I need to reliver this little lady to the priestesses in Markarth. I would follow him as soon as I could.

Well, fast forward to me now being in Markarth. The priests thanked me for my service, and they let me commune with Dibella. Well, it's wasn't as much of a communion as it was just me praying to her. I was a little doubtful of if she would even answer to my prayer considering that I'm probably nothing more than Daedra worshipping filth in her eyes… I mean, she doesn't approve of crimes such as theft and murder, but she managed to surprise me. I could feel her touch and her blessing… Probably the last blessing I'm ever going to receive from her. Well, as I might've said before, I do have a lot of respect for this particular Goddess. She may not be as approving of me as I am of her, but all in all, she's not that bad. She likes art, love and sex, so… Yeah.

I'll be leaving towards Dawnstar tomorrow. After that, it's straight towards Winterhold.

Sun's Height, 25th, 4E 202

Well, now Braig is part of the Brotherhood. He was a little surprised to hear that I'm actually the Listener, he was in shock and in awe! …Oh who am I kidding, he doesn't know much about how this family runs, and he probably still doesn't understand just what it means. He went through the usual spiel of Nazir telling him that he'll probably end up dead in two or three weeks, but I just tapped him in his back and said that's Nazir's way of showing love. He'll do fine, he's a capable man, I know it.

Nazir also game me one contract. How unusual, I told him, why me? It's not even a contract given to me by the Night Mother. Well, it's connected to one of the contracts I've dealt with in the past, and I was requested by name. Nazir still gets a lot of business like that. I'm not sure who this mysterious contract is, but my target is some pirate captain. Well, I'll be glad to do this, but it'll have to wait.

Braig thanked me once again, he didn't even know how to thank me properly. I instructed Nazir to try and only give him jobs which don't involve him going anywhere near the Reach. It's for the best for him to stay as far away from that place as possible.

After that, I completed my usual tasks while I'm here, took the contracts from my Mother, meditated at the altar of Sithis, shared banter and stories with the members… Mostly with Babette. She always keeps telling me to visit more often, to which I simply replied, maybe she should visit me in the mountains!

I'll be spending a night here as usual. This time though, I won't be spending it alone. I'll make love to my daddy through the night… Yeah, Braig is still my daddy, he still likes that roleplay with me. I like it too…