I’m back in Whiterun. I traveled back to inform the Companions that Lydia and I defeated the group of Silver Hands that killed Skjor. Aela was pleased and she had another quest for me but I’ve put it on the backburner temporarily.

Lydia and I have done some adventuring close to Whiterun in the past few days. When I went to the Bannered Mare a few days ago, I met a Redguard woman named Saadia. She was working there but it turns out she was on the run from some Alik’r assassins. She wanted me to find them and kill them so she would be free on their pursuit. She didn’t know where they were hiding out but told me one of them was captured by Whiterun guards for an unrelated matter and was in jail. I traveled to the Dragonsreach prison and spoke with this guy. After negotiating his release he told me they were in Swindler’s Den, a cave to the west of Whiterun.

Lydia and I traveled there and found a cave full of bandits. Tough bandits too, they were hard to defeat. Upon further exploration we finally met the Alik’r assassins. Their leader, Kematu, wanted to talk with us. He knew why we were there and told us Saadia wasn’t who we thought she was.

Saadia told us she was a noble from Hammerfell who fled after speaking out against Aldmeri Dominion – a powerful empire established by the Thalmor. Kematu told us he and his group weren’t assassins but agents acting on behalf of other noble families wishing to bring Saadia to justice. They alluded to a grisly end for Saadia and I wasn’t going to let that happen, especially if all she did was speak her mind. Kematu and his forces attacked us but we handled them.

Saadia was happy to hear the news and reward me handsomely. I can’t imagine how she must feel. Having a weight like that lifted from her shoulders. I wonder what she’ll do now?

These past few days also marked my first experience battling giants and they’re something else. There are many of them to the west of Whiterun, but my accounts of them are something I’ll have to wait to put on paper. Nighttime is here and a warrior needs his rest.