Varan walked into the Bannered Mare, which was empty except for two people, Hulda and a simply dressed man with medium length blond hair, and a short blond beard. Hulda's hazel eyes immediately widen when she saw Varan, while the man's blue eyes merely glanced at him.
Varan sat on the empty stool next to the man while Hulda shakily handed him a tankard filled with mead. Varan removed his helmet, placed it the bar table before grabbing the tankard and chugging its contents in one fell swoop. "Trying to forget something?" The man asked in a tired voice as he stared at Varan's empty tankard.
"Something like that." Varan answered as Hulda filled his tankard with more mead, "What does a young man like you have to forget?" The man asked as he sipped some of his own mead, "Something that doesn't concern you." Varan stated coldly, Hulda seemed shocked at this as her eyes widened considerably.
The man just chuckled, "I suppose you're right, some of us have our own worries." The man said as he just stared into his tankard for a moment before chugging what remained of its contents, setting the tankard down, the man looked at Varan, "Do you know who I am?" He asked while Hulda refilled his tankard. Without even looking up from his drink Varan answered, "No." His tone was flat and uncaring.
The man just chuckled at this, "That's alright, why don't you join me for a drink then?" The man said this as he looked at Varan with a warm smile. Varan was about to refuse, but for some reason he couldn't, so he just nodded his head as the man laughed and placed his hand on Varan's armoured shoulder.
"Alright then, what's your name friend?" The man asked as he continued to smile warmly, "Varan Kynor." Varan answered simply, taking a sip from his mead as he turned to the man next to him, "What about you?" Varan asked as he eyed the man next to him. The man just smiled as he answered, "Balgruuf." The man's smile never wavered even when Varan didn't react to his name.
"Interesting name." Varan said as he once again sipped his mead, placing down the empty tankard down with a soft touch. The just laughed at his response, "That it is, my friend." The man laughed again before continuing, "I could say the same about your name, mister 'Blood-Soaked Blade'." Varan stared at Balgruuf with a quirked brow.
"'Blood-Soaked Blade'?" Varan asked, staring as Balgruuf continued to laugh, "That's what everyone has been calling you, the infamous 'Blood-Soaked Blade', a tall and broad-shouldered man who wielded a steel greatsword that's always covered in blood." Balgruuf explained with a chuckle as he finished his own drink.
Varan did not say anything, he just grabbed his now mead-filled tankard and took a long, hard sip of the rich mead, "Why are you here so late into the night anyway?" Varan asked Balgruuf, something he wouldn't do before he met Elien. Balgruuf just smiled at him before answering.
"Just drowning my worries of my pregnant wife." Balgruuf tone shifted from lively to tired, Varan picked up on the shift in tone, looking more closely at Balgruuf face he could see the dark circles under his tired blue eyes, "Why are you worried?" Varan asked before he could stop himself, he didn't know why he was so invested in this man he just met, all he knew was that something remined him of his lost older brother.
Balgruuf just stared blankly at his hand before eventually answering, "Let's just say, that some people would try to harm her to get to me." Balgruuf seemed to sink deeper into his seat as he said this. Seeing the state of Balgruuf, Varan did not push any further, he recognised the look in Balgruuf's eyes, for he had the same fears for Elien, who should still be peacefully sleeping in their now shared home.
They sat in silence for a few more moments before Balgruuf spoke up, "Would you join me for a stroll through the city?" Balgruuf asked as he rose from his seat, placing a leather pouch filled with gold onto the bar table. Varan did not say anything, instead he placed his own leather pouch onto the bar table as he stood up and grabbed his helmet.
The pair walked out of the Bannered Mare and into the chill winter night, neither said anything as they just walked through the empty city streets, the walked in silence that this for what seemed like eternity, before the silence was broken by Balgruuf, "You know... I lied earlier when I said my name was Balgruuf." Balgruuf confessed, but he continued to walk.
Varan didn't say anything, he just continued to walk next to Balgruuf, "My full name is Jarl Balgruuf the Great." Balgruuf said, finally coming to a halt, Varan too stopped walking, but not out of surprise, but because Balgruuf had stopped, "That does not change anything." Varan said as he stared at Balgruuf with his deep blue eyes.
Balgruuf just chuckled at this, "Alright then, but I have an offer you, Varan Kynor." Balgruuf said as he turned and looked up at Varan, "More precisely, a job." Balgruuf clarified as he stepped forward. "One I hope that you accept." Balgruuf said as he placed a hand on Varan's shoulder, just like he did just moments ago.
"What is the job?" Varan asked, already suspecting what it might be, "I want you to personally guard my wife." Balgruuf explained as he now stared into Varan's deep blue eyes with his own pale blue eyes.