Skyrim: DT's story 4: Something Bout' a Claw...

So, I continued my little adventure, trudging through the less than favourable weather of Skyrim... Until i reached the town of Riverwood...

...And at a table, laden with food I sat, feeling like the odd one out, while the other humans sat and reminisced and spoke of the Empire. It made me feel bad, because while they talked, they never even noticed as the food suddenly disappeared from their plates... Then, the plates were gone too, then the cups, and the bowls... It was almost like they'd forgotten they were ever eating.
"Well, the fight against the Stormcloaks continues..." Hadvar continued. "You have some skills with a sword, Argonian..."
"Hey." I spat. "My name, is Darel'Tek..."
"my apologies." He responded. "...But I stand true. You know how to fight. You should take that steel to Solitude, we can use men like you."
"Hmmm..." I pondered. "I'll think about it... But... I don't know... You're guys did try to kill me, after all..."
"Well, that was a mistake of the captain... She shouldn't have done that."
"I'll need to think about it..."
"Of course..."
I got up to leave.
"And Darel'Tek?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we have our plates back?"

So, I walked out, and into the village, oddly, he and his family were very supportive... even if I had tried to steal their bowls and cups, and food, and drink... They'd given me some clean clothes and some other valuable things. But I was weighed down... I needed to offload some things...

"Welcome to the Riverwood trader. Your source of the finest goods in Riverwood."
"alrighty then..." I stepped around, looking at the stuff on offer... tempting... And, well, money was hardly an object for me... If I was going to be, 'picky' about things.
"So..." I asked, leaning against the counter, near an open bag of coins. "...How's business?"
The guy at the counter sighed. "Not too bad... we got robbed not long ago."
"Oh really?" I asked, quickly taking my fingers off a collection of little coins which sat on the table. "...What happened? They take anything?"
"Only an ornament." The Breton responded. "A dragon's claw, made of solid gold. I'm not sure where they went, but apparently, somewhere near Bleak Falls Barrow. I'd go after them myself, but, well, someone needs to look after the shop, and I can't take on that many bandits..."
"Of course..." I nodded... "But, what if I went after them? I, well, I'm not too bad with a sword."
"You would? But... Err... What if they, I mean..."
"Come on. If I die, you don't have to pay me, and you don't lose out. But what if, what if, I CAN get your claw back? What have you got to lose?"
He paused, and looked down, thinking, then, he spoke. "Alright... Just be careful. I'm sure you've seen it, the Barrow, that is. Just, go across the bridge, and climb the mountain, but be warned! Bandits dwell up in those icy mountains... Not too mention that, well, it's cold."
"And?"
"Well... Argonians, are, they, don't... er..."
"They don't, what?"
"They're not very suited to cold climates!" He blurted.
I paused. "Hm." I pondered, then spoke. "It IS very cold... Fine... Sell me some warm clothing then..."
He then smiled, as he and I got what each other wanted...