Roars that instilled instant fear within me shook all of Whiterun. Guards shouted at the common folk to take cover or take up arms against the flying monster. Without a second to lose, I grabbed my son and ran inside Belethor's store. The small, two story shop made of wood with a thatched roof was the only thing able to separate us from the dragon. I prayed to the divines that the local guard could take down the monster. There was little hope left in Skyrim. News had spread that the dragonborn had died giving birth to her first child.
Cowering behind the sales counter with my son as well as Belethor, tears ran down my cheeks out of fear for my family. If we died today, would Alduin devour us from existence? I couldn't bear the thought. My son was everything. If his soul were to be eaten by that monster, I would hope the dragon would take me as well. Too much pain accompanied these thoughts.
Roars, shouts, screams, and a loud rumble was barely muffled by the walls that sheltered us. Silver dinnerware danced on the shelves around us with each immense noise that shook the building. My son trembled in my arms and I held him tighter. "Shhh, Francois, it'll be over soon." Many more thunderous noises of the dragon and the shouting of the guard continued for what felt like a relative eternity. Bottles of wine and potions moved precariously around their original seats and a few smashed to the floor. A final roar shook the store, and all was quiet. Belethor crept to his front door and peeked outside.
"The dragon is dead!" Belethor exclaimed. I let go of the breath I had been holding and eased my grip on my child. Francois looked up to me smiling, just as thankful as I was that the thing was dead. We hugged each other tight before we crept to the door where Belethor was standing. Sure enough, the giant lizard lay slaughtered in the market square. The sales stands had been utterly destroyed. Bits of wood and charred food was scattered about. The bodies of several guards were being tended to. Scorch marks were everywhere from the dragon's cruel breath and a few fires that had sprung up were quickly being extinguished by the bountiful streams within the city. The cobble was turned up in large patches here and there.
Never before had I seen one of these things up close. I had seen them fly over the city a few times, but nothing more. It was terrifying to look upon, even knowing that it was dead. But, for how long? The things kept coming back even after they had been slain! Only the Dragonborn could keep them dead, and she was gone from this world. The last Dragonborn was supposed to end Alduin and the dragon crisis, but had died before she fulfilled her destiny.
I joined the other citizens in gawking at the lizard, all of us collectively wondering how to keep it dead as well as how to get the body out of the city and make repairs. Many of the townsfolk cursed the beast, some of them being the freshly widowed spouses of guards. A few people poked at the corpse, looking at its scales and talking about using the claws for weapons. Curiously, I stepped up to it and touched its bloodied face. I looked to the others. "Do you think we could use its bones and scales to make armor for the guards? The Dragonborn used them as armor supposedly…" I rambled.
My touch only lasted for a few seconds, before a dot of flame from where my finger had prodded erupted and started to eat at the body. More and more flames sprouted from the corpses as it was quickly enveloped, the flesh disappearing into the fire like paper in a hearth. Shocked, surprised, and freshly seized by fear, I ran back to the ring of the other citizens who were retreating away from the beast.
"What's happening?" half a dozen people asked at once, sharing terror-filled glances. I pushed my boy behind me, looking around frantically to figure out what we were all supposed to do. I spotted my husband, running along the cobble roadway towards me from the main gate. He passed the homesteads and inn at a remarkable rate. My eyes betrayed my fear.
"I thought you were home!" I voiced my concern.
"I saw the dragon flying overhead, and when it started attacking, I came running. I needed to know you were safe!" he choked out through labored breaths. He held my son and me in a tight embrace, all of us thankful to be alive. Without warning, streams of yellow, orange, and white rushed to my body. My husband and son backed away in shock and I cried out and tried to futilely get away from the magical streams enveloping and entering my body.
As quickly as it began, it ended. With wide, doe eyes, I looked over myself and met the gazes of the crowd. "Dragonborn…," they finally murmured.
Frantically, I shook my head. "No, it can't be! I can't. I can't be."
My husband gripped the shoulder of our son. I stared into him looking for answers he didn't have. "Vantus, take us home." I pleaded. I couldn't handle this. This couldn't even be real. My mind was determined it wasn't. I couldn't shout like the Dragonborn could. No magic came from my mouth or even came to mind on how to do it. Though, I did feel a new warmth flowing through me.
Awkwardly, we left the horde of gawking citizens. We didn't talk the whole way home to our farm. Dinner was silent, too. I tucked an exhausted Francois into bed. Afterwards Vantus held me tight for the rest of the night. What I had to do as the Dragonborn didn't need to be spoken.
The next morning began with a courier knocking on our door. My husband greeted the man as I tidied up the house and gathered laundry to be done for the day. I didn't dare think about yesterday's events. Like a child, I hoped that if I ignored what happened, it would just go away. I didn't want to leave my family to fight a terrible black dragon. How I would even accomplish the feat was beyond me; I had never wielded a weapon in serious combat in my life. Sure, I had done some basic practice with a dagger when I was young as nearly every Imperial accomplishes at the least, but a dagger wasn't going to bring down a dragon.
I was in the middle of washing clothes when Vantus approached me. "My love… the Jarl requests your presence." I stared at him, pokerfaced. "He… wants to talk about what happened yesterday and what it means for the future." My mouth was dry. Vantus tore his eyes away from me, rubbing his mouth and then the back of his neck and head. I let the clothes I had been scrubbing slip back into the sudsy water.
I took a deep breath and steadied myself. "When do I need to be in attendance?"
"The letter said as soon as possible." Vantus steeled himself, but he and I both knew tears would probably be shed tonight. The previous Dragonborn was constantly roaming the country, barely able to be called a resident in the city. Would I be required to do the same? Would I have to leave my family behind for an unknown amount of time in order to prepare to destroy Alduin? Another thought came to mind that I didn't wish to ever consider: Would I even survive the ordeal? Francois was pulling weeds, and I watched him with watery eyes. Would he grow up without his mother?
"Honey…," Vantus brought me back from my thoughts. "I'll take care of things here. Don't want to disappoint the Jarl, do we?" Yes. Yes we did. But, we knew we couldn't. Meekly, I nodded my head and dried my hands. Slipping on a traveling coat, a steel dagger, and putting a handful of Septims into my pocket, I embarked on my way to Dragonsreach. The dread within me could have drowned every dragon on Nirn. Everyone knew that the Dovahkiin was required to venture all over Skyrim and beyond in order to fulfill her destiny. The thing I never wanted was a destiny that separated me from my family.
"So, you are the one rumored to be Dragonborn?" Jarl Balgruuf questioned.
"Yes, my Jarl, though I do not exactly agree with it. I can't shout."
He rubbed his chin. "But, you still took in the dragon's soul, according to the guards who were there. They said that it was the same when the first Dragonborn defeated a dragon years ago."
I fumbled with my hands. "I don't know what else to say, my Jarl. I'm merely a farmer's wife. I don't know of these things."
He nodded, in thought. "The Greybeards haven't summoned you. But, I am certain that they would not turn you away. You should head to High Hrothgar. I'm sure that they can tell you why you are unable to shout."
Hesitantly, I consented to his decision. "Yes, my Jarl."
He looked me over with a softened gazed. "When I received news that the Dragonborn had died, I feared greatly for my children. They would grow up in a world being terrorized by dragons, and then their souls devoured by the World Eater. I'm sure you understand this fear. With you here and with the gift of a dragon's soul within you, the future of Whiterun hold, as well as all of Skyrim, seems so much brighter." He smiled, his mood changing to one of fervor. "Prepare yourself well for the journey. Bandits, as well as the usual wildlife, will likely be on the path to Ivarstead." He paused. "Do you have adequate arms?"
"I have a dagger, nothing more," I spoke honestly.
"What about armor?"
I shook my head. "I've had no need for it to tend to crops or my home."
He looked to his left. "Proventus, see that Ms. Loreius is adequately supplied for the journey to High Hrothgar. The gods have granted us one more chance to destroy the World Eater. I will not have it wasted."
"Yes, my lord. I will see to it at once," the steward replied with urgency. He strode confidently away to a stairwell that led somewhere further into the reach.
"Irileth. See to it that our new Dragonborn receives proper training with the weapon Proventus retrieves from the armory."
"Yes, my lord. It will be done."
"My Jarl?" I dared to request his attention.
"Yes?"
"I would like to let my husband know of all that's happening. He will need to get things in line to take care of the work I won't be able to do while away."
"That is acceptable. Come back to the keep later this afternoon and I will have all the preparations necessary for you."
A feeling of relief washed over me. Everything was moving way too fast. Perhaps spending the afternoon with Vantus explaining what happened with the Jarl would ease my anxiety.