"Makes sense. Still i'm here to grab some stuff for the road. A bit of fur clothing specifically. I'll be heading north to Winterhold soon and the temperature is only going to get colder the closer I get. I might be resistant to the cold but even a Nord has to bundle up in that." I said calmly.
"Why are you at a general shop looking for fur goods?" she asked confused.
"Because even if the general store owner didn't have any they'd know where I can go to get some." I said with a grin.
"Ha! Using me for information then? Fair enough. I do know where you can get good fur clothes. You'll need to actually buy something first though, not running a charity here." she said grinning.
"A little grease turns the wheels as they say in the biz." I said with a chuckle as I bought a couple of greater soul gems she had on display.
"You'll want to go to the docks, theres an Argonian named Alimdei there. Trust me you'll know the slimy lizard the moment you lay eyes on him, he stands out. He might be an odd one but i've never met a more skilled fur tailor." she said seriously once my purchase was done.
"Appreciate the tip. Take care of yourself and try not to get anymore arrows stuck in your legs!" I called playfully over my shoulder with a chuckle as I left.
With the information I needed in hand I cut a sharp line to the east where the docks were located. Not so coincidentally it was also right at the far end of the gray quarter. The docks were built on the shore of the great river and extended out of it with solid stone brick foundations. The wooden parts of the dock were in truth only added later when the boats that were docked there had been bigger and less inclined to beach landings than those used in Ysgramor's time. -
The docks were also the biggest sign of discrimination as it was where the Argonians of the city lived. There was even a law preventing them from staying in the city walls. If the city were in one of the warmer parts of Skyrim this wouldn't be so bad as the race thrived in wet environments, they could even breath underwater. No the real problem was that the lizard folk were VERY susceptible to the cold. -
Inside the walls most of the chilling wind was mitigated but on the docks it was especially bad as the salty spray of the water mixed with the cold air and hit you. In the short term it was unpleasant but manageable even for an Argonian but long term? It was practically torture. I couldn't exactly say that Ulfric was in the wrong for keeping the lizard folk out of the city either. Many of the Dunmer in the Gray quarter were likely alive during and experienced the invasion of the Black marsh Argonians and might turn violent from resentment.-
You might then ask why the Argonians stuck around if they were so badly treated? The answer to that was that they were broke and weak. Any Argonian with enough money or strength to travel to a better place were long gone unless they had a special reason for sticking around. The ones left tended to be the ones that simply couldn't afford to go anywhere else once they got here. Thankfully the path from the docks to the rest of the city was along the inside of the wall.-
This meant even though I was technically in the gray quarter none of the guards or Dunmer were paying me more than the usual amount of attention. They'd spot my massive form moving by and look but once they saw my path they'd go back to their own business. Thanks to this I reached the doorway that led to the docks checkpoint for goods and from there the docks. The checkpoint was something every city that got things shipped in from other places had. It was basically a quick looking point for any smuggled goods that weren't allowed but that was it.-
When I got to the docks the first thing that struck me was the smell. There was the salty scent of the water and of course fish but more than that was the musty smell of unclean living over a long term. The docks had three ships in harbor at the moment with two being the usual Nordic longship style with wide bodies and a single massed sail. The last was the imperial style ship that was narrower but taller as well with two sails and much more details. At the the southern part of the docks was where the Argonian population lived.-
It was more or less a collection of ice caked fur tents set up pressing against their neighbors. Few Argonians were out of these tents at the moment and the few that were had on heavy furs and were at work keeping them warm-ish. The sole exception to this was a small Argonian that I couldn't help but stare at in shock. This Argonian was a small one for it's race. Barely five feet tall at most. I wasn't shocked by that though, no that honor went to the fact the thing was meditating shirtless and barefoot.-
It had bright reddish green scales and red feathers on the top of it's head without any horns. It was only when I got close to the Argonian that I understood why it was seemingly unbothered by the cold, magic. Specifically some sort of spell that actively drew in the magicka in the air and turned it into internal heat. That sounded simple but I couldn't do it. That had to be at least an expert level spell, maybe more.-
"Why is someone like you here?" I couldn't help but ask.
The Argonian cracked open a single golden eye to look at me.
"Boredom mostly. Plus it helps keep things civil between my people and the locals when someone who can turn you to ash is nearby. The real question is why you are here?" the lizard returned calmly.
"I was told there was a fur tailor of good skill among the Argonians at the docks. Was told I'd know them immediately. Pretty sure they meant you." I said honestly.
"Interesting, and what is the name of the person who told you this?" the lizard folk asked curiously.
"Auri, she runs a general store in the city." I said without hesitation.
"Ah! The retired thief, she must trust you to tell you about me. Guards her contacts like a guar it's eggs that one. I am Alimdei and indeed the one she told you of." he said with a nod.
"I need a cloak of fur to travel to Winterhold. Something durable and unrestrictive." I said once the confirmation I was talking to the right person was there.
"You aren't going to ask what a mage of my caliber is doing tailoring fur?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Why would I? I'm here for fur to go to the college not to ask you to share your secrets with me." I said with a shrug.