Jack quickly made his way down to Mark by the entrance, informing Mark of their decision. Mark took it with a grain of salt, muttering out. "Of course, they'd make us wait. What do we do until morning?" Jack glanced at a sleeping Klipper, answering a bit tired himself. "Let's just get some rest." Mark reluctantly nodded and began unpacking their tent from the horses. While Mark set it up in the far nook of the great hall, Jack asked him curiously. "Mark... You don't think that I'm pushing everyone too hard, do you?" Mark stopped working to look over his shoulder at him. Jack shifted uncomfortably against the wall, mumbling out nervously. "I mean... With the Jarl... I wasn't wrong to do that, was I?" Mark snorted with a smirk, openly telling him. "In my opinion, you could have ruffled his feathers a bit more. He was being an ass. You didn't hurt anyone. You did just fine." Jack slid down the wall to sit down, uttering out grimly. "I still threatened a Jarl... Maybe he was right... Maybe I'm turning into Miraak..."

Mark threw a pillow at him, hitting him directly across the face. Jack hugged the pillow to his chest, shooting a numb look back at Mark. Pointing a stern finger at him, Mark told him seriously. "Jack, stop it. The Jarl was being a stubborn ass and you only spoke the truth. I've known the Jarl a long time and for the first time... I smelled his fear. I saw it on his face. The way those Nords bent a knee to you. The way his own brother would believe every word you say. He's threatened by you because his own people respect you." Jack hugged the pillow tighter to himself, anxiously saying. "Not all of them..." Mark scoffed in response, before scooting closer to him to say lovingly. "You don't need the whole world to love you. You just need enough people to listen and understand. And you gave them something to think about. A man that can stare into the eyes of a dragon and show no fear... That's a leader." Jack chuckled sarcastically, mumbling out embarrassed. "I'm always scared... I just don't let them see that."

Mark chuckled, kissing his cheek before whispering to him sweetly. "That's why you are a powerful leader. In times of war, it's the warriors that are afraid but still show strength that leads people to conquer outstanding odds. You give them faith and hope. But most importantly... You care about them. When you faced the Jarl because you were thinking about his people. The people saw that." Jack smirked, mumbling into the pillow. "You really think that Ulfric and Tullius will listen to me?" Mark shrugged, honestly purring out against his ear. "I don't know... but we won't know unless we try. Now come to bed." Mark touched the circlet on Jack's head, pushing it off him as their lips met in a tender kiss. Jack released the pillow to cup his face better, starting to deepen the kiss when Mark winced in pain. The circlet softly clanged against the stone floor as Mark dropped it and looked down at his hand. Jack glanced at the circlet, then Mark's hand. It didn't take long for his brain to piece it together, causing him to snatch Mark's hand to look at it more closely.

Mark's fingertips had turned a pure white and were smoking. Sean started healing his fingers, asking terrified. "Mark, are you ok?" Mark nodded, smirking as he told him lightly. "Pure silver." Jack frantically healed and checked on Mark's fingers, stating out shakily. "Why are you smiling? That could have killed you! Mark, you've got to be careful." Jack traced Mark's fingertips, quickly asking a bit panicked. "Can you feel this?" Mark raised his fingertips to lift Jack's chin, answering him in a deep loving tone. "I'm ok, Jackaboy." Jack forced himself to take a deep breath, letting Mark pull him into a hug. Mark soon coaxed him to lay down with him and he joined him. Snuggling up with him, Mark whispered sleepily over his shoulder. "I can't wait to take a whole month off and just spent it all in bed with you." Jack chuckled, huddling against Mark's arm as he slowly drifted off. Jack slept for a few hours, before he got up. The castle was so dark it was hard to tell if it was day or night.

Everyone was still asleep, when Jack grabbed his Skaal jacket and headed out into the courtyard. The snow sparkled in the early morning light. The sun hadn't officially come up yet on the horizon, giving off a peaceful sleepy feeling to the world. Finding a spot by the edge of the cliff, Jack took a seat and crossed his legs. Staring at the bright blue and pink horizon, he slowly closed his eyes and tried to meditate a bit. Letting his mind go blank, he sat listening to the soft sounds of birds in the far distance. As his mind drifted to meditating on the words of power, he felt his body pulsing with magic. The more it pulsed the more he felt at ease with it. It was like getting to know his magic better. Feeling how strong his magic had become and how his emotions effected his energy. A strong cold gust of wind hit him from behind, before the sounds of crunching snow. Jack smirked to himself, then slowly climbed to his feet. Turning around slowly, he bowed his head to the old white dragon. Paarthurnax grinned, folding his tattered wings stiffly as he purred out. "Drem Yol Lok, Dovahkiin." Jack lifted his head from his bow, replying with a warm smile. "Drem Yol Lok, Paarthurnax. You look well. Have your wounds healed?" Paarthurnax smirked, his voice practically purring out with joy. "They have. Although... age is slowing me down quite a bit these days. How are you, Hatchling?" Jack rushed across the snow to hug Paarthurnax's nose. He didn't know why, but he felt like giving a hug to his friend. Paarthurnax purred in response, giving Jack goosebumps. His scales felt as cold as the snow, but his breath was so warm as it puffed out over his chest from a large nostril. When Jack stepped back, he told him casually. "After the days I've been having... It's just so good to see you."

Paarthurnax sat down in the snow, curling his tail around himself, upon conversing openly. "And I you." Jack sat back down in the snow, regaling to him his fight with Miraak and all that he learned about the dragons there. He even told him about the white werewolf and the Khajiit Seer's fortune. Paarthurnax listened closely to everything he said, before commenting gently. "Do not trouble yourself with this... one-eyed Khajiit. You already carry such a burden. I only wish I could be of more help to you..." Jack reached out to touch his scaly nose, sweetly comforting him. "Don't sell yourself so short. You've helped me more than anyone else." Paarthurnax grinned warmly. The doors to the castle opened, revealing a disgruntled looking Arngeir... Up until he saw Paarthurnax. Going into a quick bow, Arngeir told him respectfully. "My apologies, my lord. I did not expect to see you down here." Paarthurnax turned his gaze back to Jack, purring out happily. "It's fine, Arngeir. The hatchling and I were just catching up."

Paarthurnax gestured with his nose for Jack to go with him. Jack didn't want to go, but he reluctantly got up. Walking up to Paarthurnax again, Jack hugged his nose, telling him in a loving tone. "I'll be back to see you again when this mess is all over." Paarthurnax purred his approval. Stroking Paarthurnax's nose, he tried to keep his hand on him until the very last moment. Trudging up the steps, he stopped as Paarthurnax told him in a loving voice of his own. "Dovahkiin. I just want to say... I'm proud of you." Jack looked back with a gleaming smile. It meant a lot to him that a dragon like him was proud of his deeds so far. In a way... Paarthurnax had become a father figure to him. Someone he was quite fond of. He never wanted to let him down. Jack bowed his head to Paarthurnax and told him proudly in the Dov tongue. "I'll continue to make you proud, Paarthurnax." Paarthurnax grinned in response, purring out in the Dov tongue too. "I know you will, Dovahkiin. Fly high and keep the wind beneath your wings."

With one last bow of respect, Jack turned to walk away just as Paarthurnax got up to fly back up to the mountain peak. Arngeir stayed bowing for the whole exchange, until Jack tapped his arm and stated out. "Did you finish those letters?" Arngeir slowly sat up to be sure that Paarthurnax was gone, before answering him gruffly. "I did. I was searching everywhere for you, until your brute of a husband told me where you might be." Jack stopped at the door, turning to glare at him as he uttered out firmly. "Don't ever call him that around me. That's my one and only warning. You wanna be above the pettiness of men? Then you can start by saying something nice... or say nothing at all like your follow Greybeards." Arngeir straightened himself up, retorting a little lighter in tone. "We only speak the truth. The true can hurt." Jack turned around to face Arngeir, trying to keep his voice calm and steady when he told him. "A wise man knows when to speak the truth and when to keep some things to himself. Because depending on the feelings of the person... you could lose your teeth. And my patience has been wearing thin with the 'closed minded thoughts' of lesser men."

Arngeir tensed up at his words, clearly offended by them. Jack didn't let him say anything. Leaning in to lock cold eyes with him, he growled out sternly. "Say what you want behind my back. Question my moves rationally. But you insult him to my face again... and you better be ready to fight me on it. I'm sick of being the one who puts his life on the line, only to be ridiculed for how I do things. You think you can do better? Then YOU get off your arse and do it! Otherwise, stop wasting my time and stay out of my way!" Whirling around, Jack used his force shout to blow the doors open and stepped inside. The day had started so well... and now his stress level was rising fast. Rushing back to his horse, he pulled out the ingredients for fast traveling. He wanted to travel light and get this all done quickly. Mark was stretching and starting to pack things up, when Arngeir casually walked up to him. Jack ignored his presence at first, until Arngeir cleared his throat. Jack reluctantly stopped adjusting his silver circlet back on his head, watching him hold the letters out for him to take.

As Jack accepted them from him, Arngeir very softly admitted. "I'm sorry, Dovahkiin. I know the burden you carry is a heavy one... heavier than most men can bare upon their shoulders. I will meditate on everything you've said. As you've grown and adapted... so too shall I." Arngeir placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, confidently telling saying. "We will do better." Arngeir patted his shoulder, before walking away. Mark moved closer to Jack, asking curiously. "What was that all about?" Jack took a deep breath, exhaling out with a smile. "Progress. Hopefully. Anyway, where is Klipper? We need to go." Mark gestured to Tim. Klipper was still snoring away loudly on Tim's back. Jack frowned a bit but told Mark seriously. "I guess, we'll have to leave him with the horses. We need to go. We can't wait." Mark helped Jack set up the fast travel circle, telling him seriously. "Probably for the best. We don't want him to get us in trouble." Once the circle was ready, Jack kissed Agro's nose and told her that he'd be right back.

Stepping into the circle, he took Mark's hands and stated aloud. "To Windhelm." The blinding white light grew around them. Jack squeezed Mark's hands as the rush of cold air swirled around them and then faded a bit. When the light faded, they were standing inside another cold grey looking castle. However, unlike High Hrothgar, this place was lavish in bright blue and silver décor. The hall was empty except for two people at the very end. One man was dressed in thick black bear skin, kneeling before a high-backed stone chair. The other was an all too familiar face to Jack. He hadn't seen Ulfric since Helgen. They hadn't noticed them. The two men were too busy locked in serious conversation. The man in the bear skin, pushed back his bear headed hood, announcing to Ulfric with blunt authority. "Balgruuf won't give us a straight answer." Lounging with one leg over the arm of his stone throne chair, Ulfric dismissively stated out. "He's a true Nord. He'll come around, Galmar."

Galmar huffed loudly, rising to his feet as he retorted coldly. "Don't be so sure of that. We've intercepted couriers from Solitude. The Empire was putting a great deal of pressure on Whiterun. With the Emperor assassinated, you can bet those damn Elves will apply a boot to his throat to get the answer they want now." Galmar crossed his burly arms over his broad chest, staring Ulfric down. Ulfric lowered his eyes to his silver goblet, swirling the liquid as he coolly asked Galmar. "And what would you have me do about it?" Galmar bared his teeth, his voice literally coming out as a deep gruff growl, upon answering darkly. "If he's not with us, he's against us." Ulfric finally swung his leg down to stand up to his full menacing height, bellowing down still in a cool collected tone. "He's knows that. They ALL know that." Galmar uncrossed his arms, asking a bit heatedly. "How long are you going to wait?" Ulfric casually stepped down the stone steps of his throne slowly, asking in a darker tone. "You think I need to send more of a message to Balgruuf?"

Galmar bowed his head in respect but stated out seriously. "If by 'message' you mean shoving a sword through his gullet." Ulfric stepped off the last step and drained his goblet in one swig. Then setting his empty goblet down on one of the stone steps, he told Galmar with a sly smirk. "Taking his city and leaving him in disgrace would make a more powerful statement, don't you think?" Galmar's voice took on an air of excitement as he asked eagerly. "So, we are ready to start this war in earnest then?" Ulfric's eyes drifted along the hall to finally look at them. Jack stayed every still and relaxed. Ulfric looked him over closely, sizing him up with a guarded look. He didn't look the least bit afraid of him. He didn't even seem surprised at how he had gotten in here. Instead, Ulfric told Galmar in a calm relaxed voice. "Soon." Jack slowly started making his way toward Ulfric with Mark nervously keeping pace behind him.

Galmar still hadn't noticed them yet and continued advising Ulfric strictly. "I still say you should take them all out like you did Deadking Torygg." Ulfric's gaze turned back to Galmar, replying swiftly. "Torygg was merely a message to the other Jarls. Whoever we replace them with will need the support of our armies. I can't run all of Skyrim's holds myself. I don't kill unnecessarily. That's chaos. When we have the right people to take their place... we'll remove them." Galmar nodded in understanding, replying with the highest respect. "We are ready when you are, my Lord." Jack stopped a few feet from Ulfric, causing Galmar to finally take notice of them. Galmar reached for the handle of his battle axe on his back, snapping out defensively. "Who are you?! How did you get in here?! This is a private-" Ulfric snatched Galmar's hand to keep him from withdrawing his axe, upon stating aloud with great ease. "Relax, Galmar. I recognize this young lad. The green haired mage from Helgen. Which if the rumors are true... The Dragonborn has come to pay us a visit."

Jack held his chin up and squared his shoulders like a noble of high regard. Ulfric smirked, chuckling out. "You can drop the noble act, Lad. No one here to impress with your fancy titles. So, skip to the part where you tell me why you're here. And it better be good. Cause if it's not... You're not leaving with the information you just overheard. Are we clear?" Jack didn't respond, he simply removed the letter addressed to Ulfric from his pocket and held it out for him to take. Galmar grabbed his wrist in an iron grip to keep him from touching Ulfric. Mark let out a thundering snarl in response to Jack being touched, while Jack informed the Jarl calmly. "I'm here to deliver a message. You've been summoned. If you're a true Nord as you claim to be. Then you'll heed this call." To Be Continued...