EDITED: okay, so after reading the reviews on ch.2 I went back over it and yikes...I can't believe I screwed up that much... But I guess that's what I get for writing it at three in the morning and only skimming it instead of a full out edit. Anyways, thank you guys for the reviews! I really appreciate hearing your input! I'm pretty sure I got all the major issues in this chapter, though next time I'll take an extra day or two to make sure I get the editing perfect!

"Which one drank the other one under the table first?" He asked as he strode in, and took his seat. Irileth sat at the head of the table, I sat to her right, and Markus had taken the seat across from me to her left. "I'd put my gold on the steward outlasting magic-boy." The warm candlelight cast brilliant shadows across his face, accentuating his angled features. His tanned skin tone seemed to glow under the flame's gaze.

Now that he had finally made it to the dinning table, the servants began to buzz all around us; piling food on our plates, filling our tankards with mead, and playing songs with their instruments. During that time, Markus looked to be confused as to why people were rushing around him, throwing things on his plate. He looked down at his plate with a furrowed brow and a set jaw. "Something wrong, my thane…?" The last two words felt bitter in my mouth.

Is this really who I'll be serving for the rest of my life?

His head lifted, the confusion in his face melting away instantly. "Hmm? No, it's nothing." He then lifted his knife and fork and began to cut into the horker meat he had been staring at. Irileth put her tankard down from the swig she had just taken.

"Now, you mentioned earlier you made the trip to High Hrothgar? To the Greybeards," Irileth spoke as she herself began cutting apart the horker. "How was it? Do they live up to the legends?" Her voice was even, though I felt the curiosity beneath it. I was curious, too.

He swallowed a mouthful, took a drink, then spoke. "Well, their beards are very long and grey, but I'm guessing that's not what you wanted to hear," another sip, "they taught me some new shouts, explained how to 'be' the dragonborn, and not much else." Irileth's face froze in utter disbelief, I'd imagine mine was the same way.

"That's all? They didn't say anything about the dragons coming back, or how to stop them, or anything?!" For once, Irileth sounded panicked, however lightly it showed.

He paused for a second, staring off at nothing as if he were trying to remember what the Greybeards had said. "I think they honestly didn't know. They thought that the dragons coming back and me showing up were connected; but anyone could've guessed that,"

"So, that's it, then? The Greybeards teach you a couple of magic tricks, tell you to be a 'good little dovahkiin' and send you on your way?! No, no, they must know something about what's happening. Dragons don't just zap back from extinction," Irileth's venomous face commanded my silence. I looked over to Markus, whose face suddenly looked very tired and worn.

"Yeah, you'd think the guys that speak the 'dragon's language' would be able to ask one for some answers, huh?" I rolled my eyes; his constant joking was getting old quickly. He lifted one of his hands and rubbed his jaw line. "Listen, I don't know what's going on, I don't think anyone really has the answers about this sort of thing. I think we're just going to have to piece it together as we go," he looked down, stabbed another piece of horker onto his fork. I turned back to my food and began eating again. "and kill every fire breathing son-of-a-bitch we can along the way." He looked up and gave me a mischievous smirk.

After that, dinner was filled with pointless small talk. Mostly between Irileth and Markus. I was still marveling at Talos's sense of humor.

Once it was over I walk back to my room; my armored boots slapping against the cold stone floor being the only sound that could be heard through the tapestry strewn halls. I made the last turn and found the door to my room. Once I open my door I look at the plain but comfortable room I've called home for so long. I stride in and begin to remove my armor in pieces, starting with by breastplate.

This arrogant ass is going to save Skyrim? Talos guide us, this is who we're counting on to save us? *snap* Leaves us waiting there for hours, I hope he knows the dragons won't wait for him to show to begin burning a village to the ground. *click*

The pressure on my chest from the breastplate is instantly relieved, I lift it off my head and hang it on the armor stand which is next to the window of the room. I remove the gloves and boots easily, then tug off the pants. I stretch my muscles; grateful to have the heavy armor off my shoulders. I walk to the dresser and find the cotton night clothes I long for. As I am slipping them on, I watch the fireplace.

The flame emitted a brilliant yellow-orange glow throughout the room. Then I remember the look of the western watchtower after the dragon had been slain; the tower was in shambles, rubble strewn all around the last standing section of the tower. Fire was all around the grizzly scene, lifeless Whiterun guards littered the ground, most were beyond recognition.

I knew men stationed at that tower. They were good friends. Good men. Enrion, Darnius, and Ferlot had all perished in the battle.

The fireplace grew blurry, and my eyes stung with despair.

Enrion's wife was still in shock, his children howled out in mourning when he didn't return from his shift, news had already spread through the town about the dragon at the watchtower. Darnius's parents had grown hateful and withdrawn when they heard the news. Ferlot didn't have anyone left to mourn his passing, the war had taken them all away from him.

My arm flies up to my face to wipe away my sadness. I turn and walk to my bed, and pull back the heavy tan sheets. I crawl inside and cover myself, and shiver. The sheets are cold at first, but they warm after a few seconds.

They're the reason this has to work; I won't let their passing mean nothing. Markus must succeed. I won't let him fail. If I have to throw his dead body at a dragon to kill it, I will.

As I fluff my pillow I keep seeing his smirk in my mind.

This may be a game to him, but its not to me. Not to Skyrim.

I put my head down and clear my mind of all thoughts of dragons and death. But I can't shake that smirk from my eyes. That damn smirk that oozed confidence, paired with those brilliant emerald orbs.

I toss and turn in an attempt to escape his ghostly gaze. I clench my eyes closed and force him from my mind, and finally feel sleep's arms welcome me.

The town ahead was small; no more than a farm and a couple houses, maybe a tavern too. I walk slowly, hearing the gravel crunch under my boots. Ahead I spot a young woman carrying a bucket of water to a small barn. People start buzzing around the streets, going in and out of houses, into the local trader, and carrying on with their day. The sun was bright and a small breeze blew in, crisp with morning air. I breathed deep; wanting to take in more of the sweet air as I edge closer to the town. I look at a little sign that reads "Welcome to Nyrondale" in cursive script.

I stop dead in my tracks. There was an unnatural shift in the air; something wasn't right. I turn to look behind me, nothing but a peaceful looking mountainside. I laugh at myself; "Keep it together, Lydia." I turn back to the little town.

But it's not the same town anymore; it's a mangled mess of stone, fire, and corpses. The clear sky had morphed into darkness, with clouds circling above me. The fires raged in the town; smoke piling into the sky, flames reflecting shades of red onto the clouds. I look back to the town, and see the woman on the ground in the middle of the street; her light blue dress was charred from the nearby flames and her blonde hair was smothered with black soot.

I run to her and drop down to my knees to turn her over. But as her head turns with her body, it's clear she's dead; a look of horror frozen on her delicate face. I look up, feeling the same breeze as before the town was in ruin.

Then, a figure in the middle of the flames catches my eye. I squint; straining to see more. The figure moves closer, until it is out of the flames and then breaks the veil of smoke, letting its identity be known.

"Markus! Where's the dragon?!" I look again to the skies, trying to find the beast again.

I hear his laugh, and turn back; my face boiling from the heat, and face twisted with anger and confusion. He had on heavy, black armor; it looked as if it was shrouded in shadow; though there was none present in the center of the fire.

Why is he laughing?! What's wrong with him?!

His laughing subsided, "What dragon, Lyd?" He gave the same cocky smirk that he had done before at dinner. His emerald eyes were illuminated from the destruction of the town. "I don't see any dragon. Maybe they saw something," his voice was thick with venom. He lifted a pitch black gauntlet, and pointed behind me.

I turned my head slowly, half not wanting to see what he was pointing at. Three large boxes were standing side by side in the middle of the street. Then it hits me; they weren't boxes. They were…

Coffins….

As if on cue, the hinges on the boxes creaked open. I knew which three would be inside even before they opened.

Enrion. Darnius. Ferlot.

All three of my former friends stared at me, eyes clouded over with death. Their skin pale, and powdered looking. They are all wearing the Whiterun uniform, but something was obviously wrong.

All of them had been badly burned at the watchtower; in fact that's the reason they had all perished in the fight. But there were no burns to be seen.

I turned back to Markus; his head was angled down, but his eyes were straight towards me. He had a wicked grin on his face, his teeth shinning. Then, he started laughing again. But, it wasn't his laugh; it was deep and bellowing. Yet, with every moment it grew louder, deeper, and more menacing.

His face began to twist and contort, the smoke enveloped him, though I could spot his silhouette through the devilish fog. His shape grew and transformed, at first I couldn't tell what it was. Then, it spread its wings. With one flap from the powerful appendages, the smoke was cleared, revealing a huge dragon. It was as unnaturally black as Markus's armor had been. Then I looked into its eyes.

They were green. Emerald green.

Markus.

The beast wasn't laughing as Markus had been, but rumbled deep inside its throat, sending puffs of smoke from its massive mouth, which was full of enlarged teeth. The beast looked past me, then I realized its intentions. As it opened its mouth, I screamed, "NO! NO! DON'T! MARKUS!" flames blew right over my head and engulfed the three coffins.

I watched as my friends disintegrated into ashes. My eyes were drowning in tears now, as the breeze from his wings spread the ashes through the sky. I turned to look at Markus, I swear if dragons could smile…..he would've been.

The rumbling noise started again. I closed my eyes and waited for the end.

A force suddenly shakes me from the nightmare. "-iss Lydia! Miss Lydia!" I open my eyes to see an elven maid shaking me. "Oh thank the divines! You're finally awake! Quickly, you must get ready! We have word from a refugee, a dragon is attacking a town outside of Whiterun. Your Thane has left in advance for some supplies and to fetch some fresh horses for you both, I was told to wake you." Her voice was high and squeaky; a very unpleasant thing to wake up to. "Markus has instructed you to get ready and meet him by Whiterun's gate, then you'll both set off Southwest of here. Please hurry Miss Lydia." And with that, she was gone.

I rub my heavy eyes as I make my way to the armor stand. As I remove my sleeping clothes and replace them with armor, flashes of the nightmare creep into my mind. Markus's face haunts my mind. The way it had twisted into something so evil.

I shiver at the thought. I finish getting dressed and hurry to meet Markus by the gate. When I arrive, I find him standing by two white horses. He looks at me and laughs for a long minute. "Something funny, Thane?" He wipes a tear away from his eye. I then realize that my hair was in a mess. I'd forgotten to comb it in my haste to meet him.

"Had a wild night then, eh?"

Okay, so I had a comment on the first chapter asking if I was going to follow the main storyline or not. Unfortunately, I couldn't respond to it because they were signed in as a guest. So, I'll just make a note of it. I'm going to follow the main storyline as best I can, though it might be difficult since I haven't actually finished it yet, and probably won't get the chance with school starting up next week. But, I will also change some things in the world of Skyrim, and beg your indulgence to some details that are not the same in the game as they will be in this story. Also, I plan to make some detours from the main quest so that more depth can be added to the characters.

This may be the last update for a while, as I have to to all the summer packets that I've neglected for so long...ugh procratination.