Sitting at the edge of the Throat of the World, Roza Winter-Blade had her eyes closed as she breathed the cold air deeply into her lungs, feeling them expand and the power of her thu'um burned at the back of her throat.
"Yol…" she whispered as she exhaled, feeling the flames dance around her mouth. The flames didn't last long however, a strong gust of wind pushed against her making her shiver from it. She might be a Nord but anyone would shiver from the cold winds on the top of the mountain. Roza slowly opened her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the sun's light, taking a moment to look at the beauty of the world that she saved almost a year ago. She looked down at the vast green fields below her, she could see the different colors of the trees in the Reach, and further north she could see the snowy plains of Eastmarch.
A small sigh slipped out, she suddenly felt tired even though she barely did anything except meditate for most of the day until the sun was about to set.
"A year… Hardly even feels like it." She said to herself.
She closed her eyes again trying to meditate until she felt another cold, strong wind push against her and the sound of large wings followed. Opening her eyes once more, she looked to the skies and saw a pale, gold dragon preparing himself to land on his word wall. The mountain itself shook as he landed and the wall groaned from receiving the weight of her friend. After getting into a comfortable position, the old dragon lowered his large head to see his student clearly.
"Drem yol lok Dovahkiin" her friend greeted. Roza smiled up at him, placing her hand on his nose, feeling his breath brush against her hand.
"Drem yol lok Paarthurnax." She greeted back. "How was your trip? Was it successful?" she inquired.
Paarthurnax pulled away from her touch as he sighed tiredly, lifting his head up to look at the world before them.
"It will take time to heal the wounds that my brother had created, before they are willing to follow another dovah. It will take even longer for them to accept the Way of the Voice." He replied tiredly.
Roza slowly got up to stretch her legs and to get the feeling back to her bottom which is now fully numb from her sitting down for hours. She walked over to the wall and leaned up against it looking in the same direction that her friend was looking. Both were in a comfortable silence for a while. Nothing needed to be said between them, they understood each other enough to speak through silence. Through that silence, Paarthurnax thoughts went from his brethren and to the little woman beside him.
"Dovahkiin…" He began. Knowing where the conversation was going, Roza sighed pushing herself off the wall. She started to walk back to her spot on the ledge of the mountain.
"I'm not going back Paarthurnax. I've done everything that the Gods had set for me to do, there's nothing for me down there." She said as she settled on to her spot.
"And the Gods let you live for a reason. When you returned from Sovngard you were barely alive. You stood proudly amongst my brethren; bloody and hurt but still you stood, until they were gone. That is when you passed out here in the snow. Three days you slept… We thought we lost you forever."
"And look what happened to me!" she exclaimed as she turned her head to look at him angrily.
Paarthurnax held her gaze whilst taking in her new features. Before her fight with his brother, she looked like any other Nord woman; she was of average height and built to handle any weapon. She was fair skinned with deep blue eyes and her hair was the color of the night sky. However, when she returned her body changed. When she finally opened her eyes for the first time in three days, they saw the changes. Her once round pupils are now silted like a dragon's. Her teeth are now like one of a predator, sharp and pointed canines could be seen whenever she opened her mouth.
It would seem that after absorbing all of the souls of Paarthurnax's siblings and the dragon blood that ran through her veins, going to the land of the Gods triggered something inside of Roza to make her appearance more like a dragon than a mortal.
Ever since then, she has secluded herself in the mountain vowing to never return to the world below.
"Dovahkiin..." he tried again. "Do not let the Gods decision go to waste. You are alive for a reason, now it is your turn to choose a path you must take."
Roza was silent the whole time her mentor talked, his words sinking in as she looked at the land before her.
"There are people down there that want to use me as a weapon to end this war that they have created… I'm afraid of going down there and being a part of something that has nothing to do with me…" she admitted in a whisper.
"Nobody makes the Dov do anything."
With those words, Roza looked up at Paarthurnax with a smile on her lips and the dragon beside her returned that same smile. Knowing that he had finally gotten through to her, Paarthurnax bent his head down to look at her.
"Now little one, don't you think it's time to spread your wings, hmm?"
"I have already been everywhere in Skyrim. Where can I go? What can do that I haven't already done before?" she questioned him.
The dragon tilted his head in thought as he looked at the clouds move below him.
"Is there anywhere you have always wanted to go? A place you have been to but not really seen?" he asked her.
Her brows came together in a scowl as she thought of all of the places that she has been to. She knew most of the towns pretty well… Except for Solitude. She was only there to get General Tullius to come to the peace council… An idea formed in her head and she looked up at the dragon who was smiling down at her.
"Well… I heard that Blue Palace is beautiful this time of year."