Of Honour.
REWRITE! Thanks to 13ventrm for pointing out my mistakes and general novice skills in the previous edition, i have decided to completely re-write the story (still keeping the basic storyline i had previously devised) but just making it more likeable and relate-able and less like voodoo witchcraft =].
Eloine is still the main Character and the mysterious dark elf (Seba) still plays a heavy part in this fic. For those who did not read the previous dabble: Eloine is a Shy quiet wood elf, raised by nords and thrusted into the world of skyrim when a stormcloak/imperial battle destroys her family home on the border of Cyrodiil; whilst mistaken for a stormcloak soldier (for reasons that would be spoilers in the story=P) and taken prisoner by the imperials, Eloine soon discovers she is not as unimportant and ordinary as she always thought, after setting out to find her lost family members. (F!OCXF!DRAGONBORN)
Author's note: Be nice this is my first fic. =] P.s flames are welcome but be creative.
'How did i make it this far?' Eloine thought, inspecting a stone before attempting to skim it across the water only to head a unsatisfying 'glob' as it sank to the bottom. Sighing she turned to face Helgen, remembering just how close she was to losing her head. It wasn't like she'd had a sheltered life, her ma and pa, nords, had adopted her when she was just a babe, her Bosmer parents, hunters, had been cornered by a pack of wolves in the night, on the edge of skyrim's border, the nord she now calls her Sister had heard the howling, Eloine was the only survivor, wrapped up in a bundle next to her parents gored bodies. 'Sister, if only you were still here...'
Wiping her tears she made her way slowly north, towards Riverwood, letting her mind wander to more peaceful times.
"DRAGON i saw a dragon!" The Old lady's cry broke Eloine out of her daze, looking around her she saw the settlement for the first time, it seemed as if it had been calved out of the woodland, birds sung and flew over head as the local blacksmith's hammer sung its own tune as it was brought down upon the forges anvil. Eloine smiled as a chicken ran past her, followed by a young boy and his dog, in the direction of the mill, Eloine followed suit, deciding it was as good a direction as any, and began her search for Ralof.
Only a minute later Eloine gave up. It was no use running all over town when she didn't even know anybody. Noticing movement not far from there she was the Bosmer made a quick decision, setting her eyes on her target, a tall blond Nord female, the elf advanced towards her, as if she was prey, moving slowly towards the clearing where the light-haired nord stood, before clearing her throat, alerting the woman of her presence.
As the nord turned to face Eloine she could feel the sweat beading off her forehead, he sun glaring into her eyes from behind the woman, making her look like one of the nine, Eloine gulped and looked to the floor before working up the courage to speak to the beautiful woman.
"I'm looking for Ralof." Eloine hurried out, nervously, the nord woman raised an eyebrow at the young Bosmer.
"how do you know my brother?". The nords comment took Eloine by surprise, she couldn't remember Ralof mentioning anything about a sister, but then, the young Bosmer was too lost in her own thoughts most of the time, to pay attention to others. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, the elf readied her explanation, determined not to look nervous.
"We escaped Helgen together, a dragon attacked..." Eloine was proud of herself, but it was not long lived as a hand slammed down on her shoulder, causing her to yelp in surprise, before throwing the offender, who had previously been booming with laughter, over her shoulder in a single fluid motion, satisfied when she heard the loud thud of a large body hitting the ground, bringing a smile to the beautiful nord woman's face.
"Ralof!" Eloine growled, before relaxing her posture and offering her friend her hand.
Smiling the bulky nord grabbed the outstretched hand, "remind me never to get on your bad side El, for such a small stature you pack allot of strength!" Dusting himself off Ralof nodded towards his sister "I see you've met Gerdur" leaning in close the stormcloak whispered to the young elf, just loud enough for his sister to hear "a right battleaxe that one, not to mention she's as grumpy as an old Orc, looks a bit like one too!" Laughing Ralof dodged his sisters palm as she swung out to slap him.
Gerdur sighed "Please ignore my brother, it seems no matter what he's faced with he does not ever seem to mature, i am surprised he is even able to grow a beard!"
Eloine cleared her throat loudly, brining the attention onto herself again.
"i.. uh, don't want to break up with family reunion but i did just tell you, a dragon attacked Helgen."
"its been discussed Ralof arrived almost a whole day before you, we've got a pack all set for you, you can stay the night then set off in the morning."
"A pack? pack to where? What am i doing now?"
"excuse my sister she's very, to the point, we need you to travel to whiterun, Tell the Jarl about everything that happened at Helgen and get him to send troops to Riverwood, I would make the trip myself, if i could, seems some wolves caught me on the way in." Ralof gestured to his leg, wrapped in bandages, some of the blood was still seeping though, creating disturbing bloodied patterns in the shape of a bite mark around his calf. 'how am i only noticing this now' the Bosmer thought to herself, felling suddenly bad about throwing Ralof to the ground not minutes before.
"Well maybe i could go get it back?"
"No i will not have this discussion with you, its to dangerous and that is the end of it!"
Eloine heard the sound of muffled screaming and pottery smashing coming through the door to the Riverwood trader, gulping she nervously eased the door open when she couldn't make out the sound of any arguments, hoping not to get caught in the middle.
The shopkeeper turned to Eloine as she entered the riverwood trader, his harsh angry face softening when he laid eyes on Eloine's frightened, nervous ones, clearing his throat he smiled, beconing the girl towards him.
"sorry about that, my sister, Camilla and i were discussing an item that has recently been stolen, we never mean to frighten away customers!"
Eloine relaxed slightly, and approached the counter, half-smiling she placed al the goods she no longer needed onto the counter "can you give me anything for this"
Frowning the middle-aged imperial, rifled through the pile of unwanted wares, separating it into two piles, before pausing to look up at Eloine.
"Most of this stuff is junk, for everything on the left i will give you twenty septims, as for the rest, i must know, where did you get all of this imperial armour?"
Shifting on her feet Eloine looked down, she had not even thought of the implications that brining bloodied imperial armour to a trader could be.
"I got it, at Helgen..." Almost whispering Eloine avoided eye contact at all costs.
After what seemed like an eternity, Lucan grunted to himself, looking up with a slight shine in his eyes.
"Then you can handle yourself in battle i take it?"
Eloine was taken aback by the Imperial's comment, looking up slightly the young Bosmer shrugged.
"I can use a bow fairly well, and a small blade, such as a dagger or one handed sword, if need calls upon it, but i am not the best of fighters"
"Well, you managed to kill at least four imperial soldiers, seeing as you have brought back their garbs to sell."
"I-"
"Don't worry lass, I'm not here to turn you in, i have a different idea"
Lucan paused for a moment to survey the young elf. 'She's slightly shorter then most Bosmer i see, but has a slim, streamline figure, she must be a fast mover, and by the looks of that bow, she must have strong arms and shoulders to be able to get a decent pull on the string. Either way she'll have to do, if i don't send someone soon Camilla will go after that blasted thief herself, sooner this girls life then my sisters. Pity really'Glancing slightly in the direction of his sister, Lucan cleared his throat. "If you do something for me, go somewhere to retrieve a certain, stolen artefact, i will buy these uniforms off you for two hundred septims on top of that, if you return with, said artefact, i shall reward you, how does that sound?"
Eloine looked suspiciously at the older man, mentally weighing her options. "So, how, uh... dangerous, is this place?" Eloine finally whispered, almost looking Lucan in the eyes, bar a few inches to the left.
"As dangerous as any old Skyrim ruin, so, you could die." Lucan answered honestly, it was the least he could do as he thought.
Eloine scratched the back of her head nervously, thinking hard on her decision 'If i manage his task, i could probably afford to buy the right armours and weapons i need for my journey, if not, i'll be dead anyway, and if i cant find my family... then i might as well be dead.'
"Okay" Eloine sighed, hoping she wouldn't regret this. "What am i fetching or you?"
Lucan smiled, honestly he was quite surprised that the young Bosmer agreed to his offer, he never considered himself to have a silver tongue, but now he was starting to wonder.
"A golden claw, stolen by a thief, who goes by the name Arvel The Swift; he's hiding in Bleak Falls barrow, my sister will walk you to the stream and show you the way from there."
At that moment a young imperial, looking only slightly older then Eloine herself, came bounding down the stairs.
"You mean i actually get to be of use for once?" The female Eloine could only assume was Camilla practically screamed her words with excitement, as she launched herself towards the counter that her assumed brother was leaning on.
Lucan nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yes, but i want you to go no further then the bridge, then you come straight back, you hear me"
Pulling a rather startled Eloine out of the door of the Riverwood trader, Camilla shouted back to her brother incoherently.
'That sister of mine is going to be the death of me.' were the only thoughts in the male imperials mind as he watched his sister and the shy elven teen, walking briskly to the north, through the shop window.
AN: So? What do you think everyone, I'm going to rewrite the original first chapter into lots of smaller ones so it is easier to read as well, too much at once can give people headaches .
Please review and tell me what you think of the newer improved version =]
Tah muchly, your forever faithful follower of the Nine (Thats right. the NINE, Talos is a god, he ascended) Stevie.