Markarth, the stoniest of the cities. It's beauty is unmatched with all the markings of the dwemer, and the mechanics that are long since dead. In Valkari's eyes, this place had untouched history that not even the old court wizard in the Understone Keep. Though, discovering lost legends and history was not why she was here, oh no, in fact it was something else she enjoyed a bit more than adventuring. Singing and sharing legends. Valkari was hired by the Silver-blood in to be their bard for the week. They offered free room service for her time as a bard, and Valkari eagerly accepted. Singing in Markarth? What could be better besides immortal life? That was the young bard's opinion anyway, she could care less what others thought of it. Most told her that singing wasn't the best thing, and that adventuring was the thrill of life. Yes, Valkari agreed with that, but singing was better in her eyes for she had a chance to share the tales she ran across and some stories of her own she created.

---

As the ambitious bard walked through the heavy golden doors of the Silver-Blood inn, a fight was already starting to break out. It was the usual brawl against a drunkard and a simple man trying to enjoy a drink. Valkari just rolled her eyes and sat down next to the fire.

"Frabbi!" the man behind the counter barked, "don't just stand there our new bard must be thristy!"

The woman, who was named Frabbi, gave the man a harsh and deadly glare. "Oh Kleppr, my dear husband, if she's really thirsty why don't you go and give her a drink yourself!?"

Kleppr snorted and looked to the woman. "Well I cannot my venomous wife, for I am dealing with customers checking into the inn." Valkari just looked at the two argue, then she shrugged it off slightly, not wanting to get in the middle of it.

"I'm sorry about my parents," a beautiful female Nord spoke as she sat down next to the young redhead, "they're actually really nice people, they just argue a lot."

Valkari gave the woman a small smirk. "Well isn't that one of the signs of true love?" They both let out small laughs at her joke, and the woman smiled.

"Well, I'm Hroki, do you want anything? Not like my parents are going to give you anything anytime soon ..."

"A nice bottle of Nord Mead please." Valkari handed Hroki the proper amount of gold coins and she skipped off to fetch the mead. As soon as Hroki came back with the cool alcohol, Valkari to a small drink of it and began playing the drums she brought with her. It's melodic and barbaric tune making others tap their feet. Even the two who had been fighting began to dance slightly in their seats. This. This was what Valkari lived for. The smiles she gave people, and the coins she made along the way.

~~when you see my signal, unleash hell~~

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Belwin was in her city clothes, a simple pair of green robes with a hood. The robes only made their apperance when she did not want to stop and listen to every other city guard telling her their stories of when they were an adventurer or be asked to run and fetch some lost family heirloom by a majority of a cities residents. She just needed a few days rest, and then she would move on to look for her next job. Until then, she planned to spend most of her time in the inn, either with her books or her drink and quite possibly both.She wished she had more comfortable shoes to wear in the inn, but her leather boots would have to suffice for now.

The rest of her leather armor and weapons, along with her scrolls and potions were all safely locked in her room at the Silver Blood Inn. She had no intention of taking a job here in Markharth. She did not favor the wild Forsworn that plagued the hillsides. Unlike witches, vampires, and the other ghoulish creatures that Belwin frequently hunted, the Forsworn's motives were less black and white. She could and had on occasion hunted bandits, despite her preference not to, but the Forsworn may have had a legitimate claim on the land and they were fighting for freedom as much as any Stormcloak, and she was getting involved in neither rebellion.

She did not pay any attention to the bard at first, but was rather involved in her own business, only glancing up briefly from her book when she first began to play. She'd never really consider Barding as an art form, not like magic or hunting. It just personally seemed less useful. Asking for a song seemed akin to giving gold to a beggar. Pushing her long dark braid back over her shoulder, Belwin reached in to her pouch and tossed a gold coin to the girl. "Ragnar the Red, if you please Lady-Bard." It was her favorite, and had been since she was a child. If only because the hero of the song was a maiden. She had to admit that it was a very redeeming quality in a song.

~~word count - 370. tag - Valkari . outfit - click .~~

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The small drum that her palm beat against echoed music into the room. She herself hummed along, making other sway to the soft voice of her hums. Valkari heard many people come and go, but she payed no mind to them. For now, she payed only a mind to her drum and the tune she played. Sometimes it was a soft tap of the center and the sides, and then another it be loud and barbaric, but still beautiful in it's own way. Valkari slowed the beats to a stop when she heard a request.

Valkari caught the septim with ease and flipped it between her finger tips. "My favorite," she replied to the elven woman with a smirk on her face, "and the name's Valkari, if you don't mind using the name." Valkari had no problem with the elves of Skyrim, not one bit. Since she had been all over, she had learned to be kind to people, and they are nice in return. Well, most of the time anyway. The Nords here, however, aren't very generous with their kindness. Personally, Valkari couldn't see why. Many elves were quite nice with their words. Well, to her.

The young bard set down her drums, hearing a bit of 'awwe maan' from some of the individuals inside the inn, but Valkari payed no attention to them. Instead, she picked up her lute that she sat next to her, and began to play her favorite song that was requested by the elven woman. Ragnar the Red. The men and women in the inn began to tap their feet again, and even sing along to her musical voice. The soft strumming of the lute and her lovely voice made for an excellent play of the famous, yet bloody, tale.

~~when you see my signal, unleash hell~~

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"I mind not." she said softly, listening as the bard began the song she'd requested. She leaned back again amusing herself with her book while the bard sang her song. The other patrons seemed to enjoy her music, that was good, she supposed. She tapped her fingers lightly on the edges of her books in time with the music.When the bard finished her song, Belwin closed her book setting it to rest on the table and stood, straightening out her robes.

She crossed the room in her usual long bright strides. "You play well, Valkari. Did you study at the bards college?" The other college of Skyrim was less difficult than the College of Winterhold, in her professional opinion, but its graduates should be held in no less amount of esteem. Besides, she spent most of her day hunting betrayers of her own college and ways of magic. She doubted even if a bard did choose an evil path that the singing of evil verses could hardly cause as much destruction as the darker magics did.

"I am Belwin. Enchantress and Alchemist." And by Enchantress and Alchemist she clearly meant Huntress of Witches, Necromances, Vampires and All Dark Things. What a glorious title. "Working here in an inn you must hear many rumors. I'm looking for a nest of vampires near by. I have need for some dust for a potion. However, with all the forsworn about, I would prefer to know where I'm headed before just wandering out."

~~word count - 250 . tag - Valkari . outfit - click .~~

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When Valkari ended her song and coins dropping into the case of her lute, she looked up to the elf's question. "Yes I did," she replied with a nod and a light smirk, "though I don't go there anymore unless it's for the burning of King Olaf."

That was such a memorable event. And event that Valkari would never miss for the world. Mainly because of the treats and freebies she could get, it was also about the singing. Every year she was elected to sing during the burning of a dummy with a crown atop it's hay filled head. Didn't make much sense to her, but she loved it anyhow, and loved every moment of it. From the dancing, to the celebrating, to the music. She loved it all.

"A vampire's den? Hmm ..." Valkari thought for a moment. A vampire's den? Where did she see something like that? "Well, I have been hearing rumors about a vampire cult, yes," she continued, "but the location I have not a clue. I'll have to check my map because I know I heard someone talk about it ..." She pulled out her map and began examining it to where she marked 'vampire coven' on her map near Markarth. "Yeah, it's right here somewhere along the bridge." She pointed it out with her index finger and smiled softly.

ooc: Ok I'm not gonna put the color codes in ... too much XD

~~when you see my signal, unleash hell~~

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Belwin had never personally attended the Burning of King Olaf. She had asked to one year when she was small, but her mother informed her that it was not but a barbaric tradition that Belwin should, and would if her mother had anything to say about it, have no interest in. Perhaps now that she was her own, she would go. Perhaps this year. Or the next year, there was always time. She was hardly pressed for time. There was much in Skryim she had to accomplish, and she wanted to then move on and see the rest of the world. There was so much she wanted to do, once she'd earned the coin.

"Aye." She nodded. Vampires were not really her specialty. She preferred witches. When dealing with vampires things tended to get dangerous when one was not careful. Along the bridge. It was harder to be cautions when worrying about falling in to a river. She frowned slightly. "Tis well enough." She frowned a bit. She would set out at the first light in the morning and the vampires would be dead before the noon meal. If things went according to plan, which they frequently did. Equally as frequent was the entire plan being lost somewhere amongst the mass chaos that insured when she found herself in a conflict.

She paused a minute studying the map, trying to determine her best course to get there before asking. "Have you numbers?" Going in blind was rarely advisable. Not that she would not. She had charged head first in to caves full of bandits on a rumor that a single witch lived there. She was hardly going to shy away from the challenge. She wondered briefly if one of the farm owners between Markarth and the cave would provide her a bounty of doing so.

~~word count - 314 . tag - Valkari . outfit - click .~~

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"Not that I know of, no sorry." Valkari replied to the elven woman with a slight frown, though it quickly turned into a smile after what she was thinking. "Maybe I could accompany you? Two is better than one, so I was told."

It had been too long since this fiery Nord fell into a good battle with a group of the supernatural. And, last time it had been incedibly challenging, but fun. Valkari could only imagine how many vampires lurked in that cave. Five? A dozen? More? She didn't know, but she desperately wanted to find out. Her job here was only temporary, and Kleppr didn't have to keep paying her for the hours she was away. That was how Valkari worked, and she didn't mind it one bit. Let them keep the coin, while she went out and slaughtered vampires for their loot and the joy of doing it. Nothing was better than that, well, besides singing of course.

Valkari turned her attention back to the young elven woman sitting next to her and gave her another smirk. "We would make a great team. And going in alone to fight vampires isn't always the wisest thing, unless you plan on being one for yourself." That was meant to be a part joke, but part of it was true too.

~~when you see my signal, unleash hell~~

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Belwin worked alone, especially when vampires were concerned. At least she always had before now. The last companion she had kept had gotten himself turned right as she had gotten very attached to him. Since then Belwin had made certain she never lost anyone, by simply never putting anyone in that situation. "Hungry for new tales of adventure to weave are we?" Belwin asked half mocking to hide her more serious concern. She could not be certain that the girl would not just be in her way. True two was better than one, if both were compatible and could work together well as one hunter. But she did not know this girl from Julianos .

"It is for that reason I work alone." She cautioned. She took a rather abrupt authorative tone with Valkari as they discussed traveling together. She may have been older than Belwin, but all Belwin did was hunt the darker supernatural forces, and make enchantments and potions to help in the good fight. "If you travel with me, we fight by my rules. There will be no charging in head first to make a good impression on anyone vampire or otherwise. We play cautiously and we make it out alive. How fair you with a bow?" The girl was a Nord. They tended to charge in with their clumsy two handed weapons. Belwin preferred the finesse of archery and magic, with the occasional power of a crossbow for emphasis. But to each their own.

~~word count - 256 . tag - Valkari . outfit - click .~~

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The young elf asked her how she was with a bow, and Valkari gave her a smile and nodded to her softly. "I'm a pretty good marks ... woman, if I do say so myself."

Many non-Nords always thought that Nords only used two handed weapons and were rather hard in the head, but the truth was not all Nords were like that. Some even picked thievery over battle and honor. It was bad, sure, but it proved that Nords could be highly skilled in the art of stealth and archery.

With another smirk while leaning back, she picked up her midnight black ebony bow and showed it to her. "This is my bow, I hope that proves how well of an archer I am." she said to her softly, a bit more serious now. However, the young Nord still held that smirk on her face, but her eyes were determined.

"So, what do you say hmm?" Valkari leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "want me to be your temporary partner? No payment needed of course." She waited for the young elf's reply, hoping to sweet Talos she'd say yes.

~~when you see my signal, unleash hell~~

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Belwin arched one eyebrow up. "A bow does not make an archer, any more than a circlet makes one a noble." Though it was a fine bow, Belwin was fairly certain she could shoot better with her unremarkable wooden hunting bow than most people could given an ebony bow. If the girl said she as skilled, Belwin was not going to challenge her. The girl was offering to come with her for no payment. "Not a partner." She frowned. "A temporary companion." Partner implied some sort of desire or intention for temporary to become permanent. That was not Bewlin's intention. She would let the lady-bard accompany her for this task, try to keep her alive, then bring her back to her tavern once she was done pretending to be an adventurer.

"We'll leave before the sun comes up in the morning." No one who intended to live ventured in to a nest of vampires during the night. Having daylight outside was an in case of emergency tactic, true, but Belwin would not have been alive if she ignored the obvious escape routes. She considered advising the girl to make preparations as if she would not return, but perhaps it was only Belwin who lived that way. Making as few attachments as possible, always making certain that her mother were taken care of incase she should get herself killed. It was more exciting that way certainly. But occasionally she saw families with a husband and a wife and children and wondered what that would be like. It was hardly they type of lifestyle she would want. Not nearly enough defiance of death, o dragging along bards to places they would get themselves killed if she lived a nice settled down life.

~~word count - 302 . tag - valkari . outfit - click .~~

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Valkari looked at her rather curiously. What was her deal anyway? She couldn't say the word 'partner'? Ah well, she didn't bother with it much and turned her gaze to her bow. Well, if she didn't have this bow she wouldn't be able to do the damage that she does today. But that was the elven girl's loss. She would see just how good of an archer this Nord was. Heh, but maybe the girl would think lowly of the redhead even after she showed her archery skills to her.

"All right, fine, 'temporary companion', but it means the same thing." Valkari retorted softly to her as she placed her bow beside her and picked up her lute. It was lovely decorated, and on the drum of the lute some initials were ingraved on it. I.F-S it wrote, and it was marked beautifully onto the lute as if it was meant to be there. This, obviously, was not her initials, but her father's, Ian Frozen-Steel. The young Nord had found it in her long forgotten home, while visiting some old guild members. The beautiful lute was found under a bunch of rubble. Valkari was surprised it was still intact.

When the young elf told her to meet her before dawn, she nodded to her slowly and continued to play her lute. "I'll make preparations for tomorrow," Valkari informed her with a soft smile, "not smart going into a cave like that unprepared." Yes, Valkari had ventured into such caves before, and she was almost turned into a vampire herself if it hadn't been for the cure disease potion she had in her pouch. Thank the Gods she brought that at least, otherwise she wouldn't be here talking to this woman or living in human society.