The morning bustle of the kitchens below caused me to wake, the inn itself shaking off the blurry webs of sleep. Stretching leisurely under the covers, I somehow manage to push away the desire for more rest. The dream was beckoning again and I could no longer resist the call.
As I sat up and adjusted my heavy cloth and fur robes, placing my enchanted circlet carefully upon my brow, I contemplated what the strange dreams meant. All I could ever see through the darkness and bloody chaos was a coffin and fire.
Sighing and slipping on my boots, I pushed away the ominous thoughts and turned my mind, instead, to breakfast.
As welcoming as the inn was, after I cleaned up and ate my waking meal next to the hearth, I pulled my cloak around me tightly and stepped out into the chill of Dawnstar air. The guards were familiar with me, giving me short but pleasant greetings as I passed them, making my way out of town.
A dragon cried out in the distance and everyone who heard it flinched, tensing up until they were sure it was far off and not heading toward the town. Squinting my dark eyes against the cold wind, I followed the ascending path away from town.
Just because I was a Nord didn't mean I enjoyed the cold. Maybe one day I would join a caravan away from this country.
Laughing humorlessly to myself, I frowned. Like that would ever happen.
My path lead me towards Windhelm, following the whisper of a rumor and the feeling of my dreams. I had to find a boy. I couldn't hear the details when the innkeeper was talking to a rather tall Nord man about it. I'd heard a name, a location and felt the pull of whatever guided my dreams.
I had to get there first.
Few traveled on foot this far north; most had a horse or took the carriage. The strange man who was talking to the innkeeper was still eating when I departed and unless he took a rather indirect route, I should reach the city long before him.
My walk to Windhelm was cold, uneventful and lonely. No carriages passed and the sounds of hooves on cobblestone were lacking in a distraction from the cold. The wind whipped the ends of my hair around, some lashing around the sides of my hood and catching me in the cheek.
The gates of the city were towering above me before I realized, half the day gone. My stomach gnawed at me; I had forgotten about packing food before I left. Candlehearth Hall in my path as I entered the ancient city, I gladly visited the inn first. The scent of stew hit me and I was off to eat in a heartbeat.
Despite Windhelm being rather confusing to navigate, much to my lack of enjoyment, I managed to find the boy's house thanks to an unknowing orc woman and a child. I snuck around the opposite side of the building to get to his door. His door was locked but the lock itself was a simple one, permitting me easy passage into his house after the citizens left.
His house was dark and gloomy, tinged with the unpleasant stink of death. I heard a young voice mumbling, obviously on the edge of tears. Following the sound to a small room, I found the child hunched over a skeleton surrounded by candles. He looked exhausted and sickly. There was no telling how long he had been performing the Black Sacrament.
Observing the lack of food in the house I dug into my bag, I pulled out some cheese and bread I had taken from the inn, stepping forward to speak with him. He noticed me and stood quickly, nearly falling over from weakness. His starved face was filled with relief and joy.
"I knew you'd come!"
The child rushed to say everything, still wobbling from standing too fast. I caught him as he began to fall over, setting him gently on the ground and offering him the food. With small, shaking hand he takes the bread and cheese, eating them slowly as he repeats himself a little calmer and between bites.
"Thank you so much, you're very nice for an assassin. I didn't expect... But my contract. There's this woman at the orphanage I was sent to when my mother died. They call her Grelod the Kind but she's a monster. She treats us all worse than dogs. But you've come from the Dark Brotherhood! You have to kill her!"
Frowning slightly, I handed him a small canteen of milk that I had also snagged from the inn, which he drank gladly. "I will take care of your troubles, young one. Where is my destination?"
Swallowing a mouthful of milk and cheese, he replied, "In Riften."
Nodding solemnly, I stood and placed the rest of the food I had on the table nearby him. "It will take some time to get there, here is some food for you. You'll probably run out, I'm leaving a few gold so you can go to the inn and get more. Stay safe, young one. I shall return to you."
He looked up at me, tears brimming his eyes. "You remind me of my mom. Thank you, assassin."
Nodding briefly to him, I turned and left, my cloak swirling around me as I made a swift exit. I was supposed to be his assassin, he did not need to see me crying.