Chapter II: Windhelm
Muriel wandered with the bundle on her back along the road to Windhelm. As the road was safe on this day - only a unlucky squeever had crossed her way - Muriel picked some flowers and herbs, which grew along the way, and her mind went back to the time after the undead had scratched her...
The wound on her left cheek had infected and she had got high fever. Three days and nights long she had tossed and turned in a delirium and while the life was slowly leaving her, her body had changed... Then on the fourth day a healer from the vigilants of Stendarr had appeared and had given her a potion, which had decreased the fever and the infection was healed. But Muriel had still lay apathetic for two more weeks in her bed, talking to nobody, even her mother. Then after two weeks Muriel suddenly stood up. But while Muriel had smiled and laughed often before the incident, she now hardly had smiled anymore. She had told her mother, that she would enter the Mages Guild in Evermore after her recovery.
Two weeks later she had begun to study the arcane arts in the Mages Guildhall in Evermore. Alwyn, her teacher in the school of destruction and a former battle mage of the Great War, was proud of her fast progress in fire spells and sword fight. Caillagh, her teacher in the school of recovery, was pleased of her very good understanding of healing spells. Everything seemed to develop well for her till to that day...
"No, you will not get the permission to study this kind of magic. Studies of this kind are forbidden in the Mages Guild since the times of Galerion. And you will get no exception. The rules are the rules." had said Abdul-Mecid, a old Redguard and Arch-mage of the Evermore Mages Guild. Muriel had run furious out of the Arch-Mage Quarters. How could they be so stupid to forbid studying this kind of magic? Was it not wise to know and understand the ways of your enemy to defeat him easier? What did this scholars in their ivory towers know about the real world? She would not waste her time further here, and stay weak because of some stupid old rules! And already in that night she had left Evermore and High Rock and had traveled to Markath. But she hadn't found anyone there, which could teach her, what she was looking for. She went then to Falkreath, but also there was nobody, which could help her on her search. She had heard rumours then about a mage called Wuunferth the Unliving in Windhelm. So she had crossed the mountains beneath the Throat of the World to go to Windhelm...
In the dusk Muriel reached Windhelm.
As Muriel reached the gates of Windhelm the guards stopped her.
"Who are you and what do you want here?"
Muriel answered: "My name is Muriel and to visit the market."
"Show your face!" ordered one of the guards.
Muriel took her hood down. The guard recoiled frightened grasping after his amulett of Arkay. Muriel smiled sneering, as she took her hood up. She was already used to this reaction.
After she slept a night in Candlehearth Hall, she sold the weapons and armours from her bundle on the market and bought some magical books from the earned money. She then asked, where Wuunferth live. After she was told, that he livedin the Palace of the Kings, she went across the old cemetery of Windhelm to the Palace of the Kings.
Wuunferth the Unliving was an very old mage with a wrinkled face.
Muriel introduced herself to Wuunferth. "I'm Muriel, a mage from Evermore. What are you teaching?"
He smiled. "Everything what makes me mightier..."
Muriel was happy inside. Perhaps she has finally found someone, who could teach her that kind of magic, she was looking for... But her reason told her not to be to hastily.
So she buyed two more magical books and said goodbye for now.
Wuunferth would either be very expensive to teach her or he would need a proof from her, that she was worthy to be taught his secrets.
So she would prepare herself to be worthy.
She went back to Candlelight Hall and read the bought magical books the rest of the day. So Muriel learned the new spells of Sparks, Lightning, Candlelight and Oakskin.
And tomorrow she would search a job on the market...