The Journal of Cairine

After visiting the City of Stone, I stumbled upon a district of the city called the Warrens. It was dark, damp and downright depressing. The people who lived in this hole were the sick, the lame and the homeless citizens of Markarth.

I spoke to a few of the sane ones (although I use that term loosely), and I met with a woman named Cairine. She started coughing up blood and, understandably, did not want to speak a lot to me. Instead, she thrusted a journal into my hands. I gave her a confused look, and she offered me four words. "Take, Belrin, Evermore, Please." - Quintillius Trebates, Imperial Scribe

22 Sun's Height, 4E 192

Praise be to Dibella, today is the day I become of age and I intend to take full advantage of this. Evermore will never see what is coming!

23 Sun's Height, 4E 192

Ugh, I should not have drunk as much wine as I did last night.

A man tried to take me home with him, said he was a veteran of the Western Reach who had done his people a service by liberating them from the rule of the Nords. Ha, he could spice it up all he wants, I know he's one of those Reachmen and I don't want to be associated with that lot.

27 Sun's Height, 4E 192

That savage came to the shop today and asked me to leave Evermore and run away with him. I told him where to stick that idea. I'm not going to abandon my work at Belrin's just to satisfy some Reachman's lust.

2 Last Seed, 4E 192 ?

I've managed to steal some parchment from those brigands, not the greatest quality I've ever seen but what can you do.

I don't know what day it is, or even where I am. The last I remember is the savage setting fire to the shop and raising his club over my head. I hope Belrin wasn't asleep, he may be strange but I still love the damn fool.

3 Last Seed, 4E 192 ?

They put me in a cage!! How dare they?! When my father hears about this, they will wish they had never been born. They said they would feed me to the skeevers if I didn't stop protesting, to which I quietened down.

Whoever was in here last must have crapped themselves with fear, because it certainly smells like it.

I've heard the savages whispering amongst each other, about turning me into a hograven, or something like that. I'm perfectly fine with staying as a Breton rather than some pig-bird, thank you very much!!

6 Last Seed, 4E 192 ?

I managed to escape from the savages last night, although I still do not know where I am. I long to return to Evermore.

I've seen some Dwemer ruins on my travels, they look a lot more impressive than the smaller ones of the High Rock side of the Druadachs. Where did the Dwemer go? Are they on holiday? Are they now the Orcs? Are they playing the longest game of hide and seek? I guess we will never know.

23 Last Seed, 4E 192

I met with a nice man today, he called himself Nepos. I asked him where I was and what day it was. Turn's out I'm not far from Markarth and it's the third week of Last Seed (By the Divines I lost track of time). He offered to take me to the city to recuperate before I go back to Evermore. I took him up on his offer and I'm currently sat in front of a warm fire in his house. I don't know exactly how I'm expected to repay him for his hospitality, but I have a pretty good idea.

24 Last Seed, 4E 192

Nepos bedded me last night. For an older man, he still has great stamina.

He introduced me to a Nord named Thonar Silver-Blood, who's family own the city. He offered me a job working in the mines for more than ten times the amount I would have got at Belrin's. I took him up on his offer and I begin tomorrow at dawn. He gave a toast, to a long and healthy relationship between us. Things are looking up for Cairine.

30 Hearthfire, 4E 192 ?

By the Divines, it's taking the rest of my strength to write this.

I've been working for more than a month now, I think, and I finally was paid for my hard work a grand total of........35 Septims. I threw the coinpurse back at Thonar in disgust, and he called his guards and arrested me. I'm currently sat in a cell inside the Treasury House and tomorrow I'll be set to work in the mines for no pay.

He can forget that idea.

[The rest of the journal is soaked in blood, and I assume at this point, or at a later date, Cairine attempted to kill herself.]