I had kept the rain going for a few days, but even now the down pour was continuing. I understood the cause and could fix it, but altering the weather once was enough to see I would need to hold back on certain spells. It was like my amulet, but ten times worse cause i can cast it over and over again.
A guard stood at the gate with an umbrella I had sold him. A simple design of carved wood and enchanted cloth. Magic was quickly becoming easier. Things like Umbrellas would likely sell well if magic wasn't included.
The door behind me pushed opened and Sorex stepped out. "Hey! What are you doing out here?"
He sat down on the step next to me and started watching the rain. I held up a letter, "Mail came in. Most of it was good, some of it was bad, but worst of all i got this letter I really don't know what I am going to do about."
He plucked the letter out of my hands and looked it over before blinking. "This is old nordic? You can read this?"
"It's Atmoran, I don't understand how it even got to me. To summarize, things are looking bleak. I'll need to go back home soon." I held up a few other letters. "The problem is do I go back to Atmora now, or after I deal with this?"
Sorex looked over at the other letters. "Ah, I see."
The letters consisted of the Bard's College agreeing to the Newspaper and housing of the Printing Press. The results of the bloodbath in Solitude. The Outcome of the Dark Brotherhood. Finally with the last letter was from the thieves guild reaching out.
Sorex tossed them to the side and they started to get wet from the rain. "So which parts are good and which are bad?"
I held a finger up, "The news business is good for us as we can control some rumors and spread of information. It will also allow for us to franchise some business later on."
My friend nodded, "I can understand that being good news. However I would like to mention the missing printing press."
I laughed, "I've already started building it. With all this rain I didn't have much else to do. The parts are all made, they will need to be handled with care and assembled in a dry climate though."
Sorex nodded, "So it is ready, I am guessing you want it done quickly though for the sake of the war?"
I nodded, "The results of the bloodbath that occurred are seriously bad news. Basically some are blaming Jarl Elisif while those who know the truth are running around trying to clean house. People knew about the assassination plot on the emperor. It was why Jarl Elisif announced his death two days ago."
Sorex nodded, "That still feels a little weird. In a way his death has little meaning to me, but it has impact on our future. I can see why it is bad, but I feel like there is more."
I pointed to the now pile of wet paper. "That results letter was encoded. Basically the stormcloaks are shitting themselves. Previously I had helped delay the stormcloaks laying siege on Whiterun. With the assassination they don't know what to do. It is common knowledge the next emperor is staunchly opposed to the white gold concordat."
Sorex sighed, "So basically the war goal shifted."
I nodded, "People are asking, about funding now. After all, families are starting to talk. If the stormcloaks launched the assassination, what does that mean for the civil war. How did people pay for the assassination? Maro's death complicates things slightly more."
Sorex paused, "Didn't someone else go missing during the attack?"
I laughed, "They didn't go missing, in fact they are still here in solitude. They were quietly arrested, I suspect a letter will come down to General Tullius to release him from prison soon as well."
Sorex stared at the rain for a bit, "Okay, so the Dark Brotherhood. Good news or bad news?"
I shifted my eyes away, "That I don't know. According to the letter, two Dark brotherhood members splintered from the branch. A husband and wife, apparently the woman was with child."
Sorex raised an eyebrow, "She was pregnant? Sold out the brotherhood for a new life."
I sighed again, "No, not likely. Which brings me to the thieves guild. They got a little letter that the couple wants transport. The question arrives, do they help them or hinder them?"
Sorex frowned, "Ah, the child."
I nodded, "What do you do about the child? If the couple is captured they will be executed for the obvious reasons. What happens to the child? Will the empire let it go, let the mother give birth even? They schemed to kill the most important man in the empire."
Sorex paused, "Wait, is it confirmed they have a child? and does the rest of the brotherhood know?"
I leaned back, "That's the thing, I have no clue yet." I didn't say it, but the problem was much worse. I had to confirm if a child who shouldn't exist is real, had to save the child, and ultimately raise the child on the off chance they are someone important.
Sorex scratched at his beard. "Okay, here me out."
I raised an eyebrow, "Listening."
Sorex paused for a second to roll his thoughts around. "The civil war will be ending soon. No matter what happens next at most it gets dragged on for another year or two. Unlikely though thanks to the assassination."
"The couple? My perspective is that they were reaching out to the thieves guild to see if they were connected to anything. As they most likely knew we had an involvement. Though I still don't know how much involvement and I am suspicious on what information you sold."
He eyed me slightly before continuing, "Which finally brings me to my main opinion. If you are getting a letter from your homeland you should go. Realistically even if something does happen here, it shouldn't be that big of a deal."
In a way Sorex was right. There was very little that would require absolute interference. At most the fight with Alduin would occur, but that wasn't something I even needed to participate in. "I suppose you are right. Though I think I'll push it off for some time to see if anything happens."
Sorex got up, "By they way, what is your homeland like?"
I felt myself zone out and recall memories that felt distant. "It was cold, low variation in food and depressing. It is a lost continent for a reason. A frozen waste land where only a single city exists. The people their only resist the harsh conditions through a sense of duty, tradition and history. The only export is the magical and alchemical components harvested from the monsters there."
Sorex grunted, "Well, sounds like you have unfinished business."
I looked up at him with an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
Sorex shrugged, "It is only an opinion, but it sounds like you want them to leave Atmora."
"Hm." Thinking about the distant memories I felt odd about them. Hearing Sorex say it out loud though. "You might be right. I'll be here thinking about it."
Sorex waved his hand, "Don't think to hard."
If I were to go to Atmora I will need to create some new spells. Perhaps it is time to try and break the restriction on my unique alteration spells.