Thank you for giving this story a chance.
This story will cover the events of TESV Skyrim and add a bunch of things to it, from lore spanning all games to my own story arcs and certain changes to the world as well as the story to make it feel more alive.
Hope you all enjoy! :]
The story begins as a series of entries in Lydia's diary, and it advances into "real time" further on. Different POVs will be added as the story moves on, but they are mostly centered around the main characters.
Rated M for certain suggestive themes as well as bloody combat.
All chapters are under revision by my Beta, Revolution Assassin. Many thanks to him for doing this and making the chapters more pleasing to the eyes. (Rev Cs 1-11 as Oct 19).
Entry 1: All Is Happening Too Quickly!
Dear diary, today something exciting happened. Well, exciting and terrible at the same time. The Western Watchtower was attacked by a Dragon!
A real living, fire-breathing, flying dragon. It must have been a sight to see. By the Nine, I can't believe it, or maybe I just don't want to. For you see, I have friends in that tower. The reports are not completely accurate and truthful just yet so there's still hope. We first heard of the attack from a guard that ran all the way to Dragonsreach Keep from the watchtower, grunting and out of breath. He told Balgruuf, um, "Jarl Balgruuf the Greater" that there was a big, dark dragon attacking the watchtower.
At that very moment, I was in my room reading a book about the history of the Empire when out of nowhere; one of the maids of the castle opened my door in a very impolite way. I mean, what if I was changing my clothes or wanted some privacy? After all, I am a woman and a woman needs some space. Yes, even us Nordic women, despite being described by some people as harsh and cold as the land we were born in, need some private time.
However, I asked as politely as I could, which actually was in a rather cold and unenthusiastic way, "What do you need?"
Her face was incredibly pale, if I haven't been living in Whiterun Keep for the last twelve years I would have thought that a draugr had busted through my door. I walked up to her as she fell to the ground. I managed to catch her before her head bounced off the stone floor. She was shivering and sweating and told me all about the dragon before passing out.
I immediately donned my steel armor, grabbed my sword and my shield, and went to the main hall to lend my help. Although I don't really know what I could have done against a flying dragon.
All things considered, my armor would only serve as a pot where I would probably be cooked; and my shield and sword would only be of use if the dragon landed, which I wouldn't do if I was able to fly like one.
By the time I reached the Jarl, I saw the Keep's door closing behind Irileth, and someone else. A man by the looks of it. I was pretty sure that I had seen that man at least once from the second floor of the main hall.
He was a nord. Like most other nords, he was tall, with strong arms and with a long beard. His hair was as black as coal, long and with some ringlets in it.
The first time I saw him, he was wearing finely crafted leather armor and was carrying an old looking bow, with arrows to match. I also noticed he had an old, rusted greatsword, with a blade shape I had not seen before.
I knelt in front of the Jarl and asked him to be allowed to go and fight the dragon, arguing that I had friends posted in the watchtower.
The Jarl only said two words, "Wait here."
I was shocked. I could not speak. My friends were out there and I was stuck and safe in the keep. I turned around and said in a barely audible voice that I needed to go.
The Jarl turned around and I was sure that he would be very angry at me. After all, I am just a Housecarl, sworn to obey any order given by my thane, but I had no thane, so I took my orders from Jarl Balgruuf. However, to my surprise, he wasn't angry at all, even after I had openly challenged a direct order.
The look on his face was serious. In that moment, he looked older than he really was; his face seemed troubled by something.
After looking at me for a couple more seconds he spoke, "I just sent my personal guard and my Housecarl to battle against a foe we never thought we would be fighting. Not only that, but I sent along a very young man, probably just your age, or a little older; he told me that he was at Helgen, a town that got hit by a dragon too."
I could not believe what I was being told. I heard a little bit of gossip around the Bannered Mare about this same topic, except that I quickly dismissed the information and just believed it to be the effects of a belly full of mead.
Apparently, there was more to it than I thought.
Jarl Balgruuf continued speaking, "He also told us that all it took to reduce the town to ashes was precisely one dragon and I just sent him back to face one. After he told me how he just barely made it out alive from that terrible experience with the help of a legionnaire, I think you know him. His name is Hadvar."
Hadvar, I thought, that was the name of a boy I used to play with when I was just a girl, many memories rushed through my mind. I felt dizzy. My friends could be dead, or alive. I remembered a childhood friend I had almost forgotten, and on top of that…
"… So if he survives, he will be named Thane of Whiterun, and I will assign you to be his personal Housecarl…" The Jarl finished eyeing me wearily.
What! I am to be the Housecarl of some strange man that just happened to stroll by a town that got burnt down by a dragon and most likely just came running to Whiterun Hold seeking refuge.
That's just not fair! I mean, I trained for twelve years of my life in the arts of combat with sword, shield and bow to end as Housecarl to some milk drinker that doesn't even use strong heavy armor like any respectable true warrior and has only old, strange looking, rusted weapons.
I didn't realize at first, but I actually said some of that out loud, at least, loud enough for the Jarl to hear me. He was very surprised with a mix of anger and a little laugh.
"Lydia, Lydia, Lydia, actually I think you are underestimating our new nord friend. I mean, he got the Dragonstone from Bleak Falls Barrow for Farengar and his dragon study, so I think that he is not a coward or a milk drinker. After all, shortly after he escaped Helgen he arrived in Riverwood and from there he decided to come here seeking aid for the town, not for himself. I don't know if he will survive the task I have given him and Irileth, but he is no coward, that I can assure you," Balgruuf's usually loud and strong voice said to me in a more soothing tone.
My mind went numb, I felt ashamed for my attitude and for not controlling myself, I was, after all, a Housecarl, and I would have to protect my Thane with my life if needed, sworn to ever do his bidding until death.
"Lydia, the reason I feel my chest ache, is because I might have sent my oldest friend and a good young man to their doom, and he reminds me much of you."
After this little chat with Jarl Balgruuf, I went and sited on the far side of one of the long tables of the keep and waited patiently, for Irileth and my would-be Thane to return. So I decided to try and release some of the stress and shock from my mind by writing what had just happened in this diary. Perhaps I will continue to do so. It seems relaxing.
Love, Lydia.
