Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. This chapter is dedicated to my friend who goes by Gian. She has been a great inspiration to me throughout writing this chapter, and deserves credit for allowing me to share my ideas with her and for reading my oh so wonderful rough drafts.
So without further ado, enjoy the chapter everyone :)
Touch The Sky
Ashe along with her horse Tollo trotted their way up the cobbled road that led to what the archer believed was the city of Whiterun. A freezing wind-swept over the land around them as they traveled and Ashe hoped that if this was not the correct city, at least it might have a warm place for her and Tollo to rest. They had spent hours out in the cold even before being brought to this wintery world and it was taking its toll on their bodies.
Even with her warm winter gloves, Ashe's hands slowly grew numb until she could barely even feel the material on her skin. Her exposed flesh was beginning to burn when the wind suddenly randomly picked up around her and breathing was also becoming difficult as her lungs stung from inhaling the icy air.
Ashe breathed a heavy sigh of relief when they finally arrived to the steps that led up to the city's gates. Tollo spiritedly kicked up his heels and cantered them up the path, disregarding the snow coated steps and making short work of the icy cobble stones beneath his hooves. He was happy to finally rest as well, but both his rider's and his own expectations where crushed instantaneously when two guards stepped in front of them.
" Hey! What do you think you're doing?" One of them barked rudely.
Tollo skidded to a halt at Ashe's command to avoid running the man over.
" I need to go inside the city." Ashe said in as civil a tone as she could manage to hide her sudden annoyance.
" You may, but the horses are not allowed within the city walls." The guard said with narrowed eyes.
Ashe glared back at the guard. " I will not leave my horse out here so he can be eaten by wolves."
" Well it can't go inside the walls. You can try your luck with leaving it at the stables." The man thrust his finger in the direction of the stables. Ashe looked to see a stream of smoke from a chimney just over the wall. She cast one more disapproving glare at the guard before turning Tollo away who snorted and flicked his tail in the guard's face as he turned and trotted smoothly back down the winding path.
When they approached the stables, a strong and tall man stood up from a stool where he was tending to a tool of some sort. He walked to the fence and held up his hand in greeting as Ashe brought Tollo to a halt at the gate.
" Hello there m'lady, what brings you to the Whiterun stables in such a hurry?" The man asked in a gruff voice as he looked Tollo and Ashe over with a raised eyebrow.
" I was told by the guards that horses where not allowed in the city. Do you think I could stable him here for the night?" Ashe explained in a polite tone as she dismounted from the saddle. Her stiff legs stung from landing on the ground and she had to grip on to Tollo's saddle for a moment to steady herself, trusting that the man wouldn't notice.
" Hmm." The man twiddled his long dark beard in thought. " Well I do have a spare stall, but it will cost you, horses eat you know." The man said with his hands on his hips still eyeing Tollo who snorted at him and stamped his hoof impatiently.
Ashe opened her mouth slightly to answer, but quickly closed it and looked down at the ground in defeat as the thought occurred to her that she did not have any coin to pay the man. An awkward moment passed until Ashe finally looked to the man again. " I'm afraid I have no way of paying you. But thank you anyway." Ashe said this in a hushed voice as she turned to lead Tollo away who looked back over her shoulder at the warm and inviting stable. At least now she knew that this was the correct place.
A long sigh could be heard from behind them and the man called out to her. " Wait."
Ashe and Tollo both stopped and looked hopefully at him.
With one hand behind his head and an understanding smile on his features. " I suppose I can stable him for one night, and he can share a bit of Abby's hay, but any time after that I will expect payment ya hear?"
Ashe nodded great-fully and thanked the man at least a dozen times as he opened the gate for her to lead Tollo into the stable. Once she un-saddled him and made sure that he was comfortable, which she could tell that he was by the way he tossed his head and swished his tail happily, Ashe exited the stable after thanking the man yet again. When she reached the gate, she turned and gazed over her shoulder at her prized steed munching away on a large pile of hay and smiled to herself, knowing that at least he would be safe here.
It took Ashe only a few minutes to walk back up to the city gates where the guards let her in without a word. With the sun beginning to set the archer strolled into the city that was built on a series of hills that appeared to lead to different sections of the city. A few citizens passed by her as she stood in the street and gazed up at the large keep that sat upon the tallest hill. Some of them gave her odd looks and others greeted her with friendly smiles and waves. But she mostly ignored them as she made her way through the city's crowded roads. Children ran about her, happily chattering and laughing, and she caught the occasional conversation. One in particular rang in her ears but she kept her eyes forward.
" You know whats wrong with Skyrim these days?" A grizzly looking man said to another. " Everyone's obsessed with death."
Ashe eyed them as she passed by from under her cowl that she pulled down further to mask her features and tucked her snow-white hair inside it. The streets led her to a circular area lined with houses and shops, and from there was a set of finely crafted steps that guided her up to the next section of the city that was separated by a wall and a large stone arch-way where the words 'The Wind District' where carved at the top. Here was another rounded area, separated by a water way and surrounded by a fence that supported beautifully carved wooden arch ways. Several benches sat around a large, ancient looking tree that shaded the area. Two sets of steps led up and away from here. One led to a long house that armored men and women came and went from. For some reason it held Ashe's gaze as she passed it, she could smell a forge and something akin to the scent of dogs coming from the area and the people who wandered up and down the steps.
But she again forced herself to stay on task and made her way up a large winding staircase that took her to the large intricately carved double doors of the keep that watched over the city of Whiterun. From here Ashe got a panoramic view of the field below that stretched for miles on either side of the city until it became a blur hidden behind thick clouds that hung around sharp and jagged mountain ranges.
A guard approached Ashe who had been staring out at the sunset that bathed the land in a red glow. " Welcome to Dragonreach my lady. What business do you have here?"
Ashe shook off her lingering thoughts and turned to face the man. " I was instructed by a woman named Delphine to speak with the Jarl."
The guard nodded and motioned to the double doors. " Then please go inside and speak to him."
Ashe nodded and turned away from the railing of the wooden bridge that she stood on that led to the doors of the keep. She pushed open the doors and was instantly happy as the warm air from the giant hearth warmed her frozen skin. Hastily she made her way through the main corridor and into a large hall lined with banquet tables, and at the end of the room sitting upon a raised platform was a strong man wearing fancy robes and a crown upon his head. Ashe guessed this was the Jarl.
The man raised his blonde eyebrow and spoke in a deep powerful voice when Ashe approached his throne. " Welcome to Dragon's Reach citizen, what brings you to my keep this night?"
" Are you the Jarl of this city?" Ashe asked as she stood as close to the fire as possible to absorb as much of its heat as possible.
" Aye, I am Jarl Balgruuf."
Ashe pulled down her cowl so that she could move the strands of her snow-white tresses from her face to look the man in the eye. " I was sent by a woman named Delphine to tell you that the dragon that assaulted your city has been vanquished."
The man played with his finely trimmed beard as he eyed the archer with a curious expression. " This is wonderous news. Was it you who slayed the beast?"
Ashe nodded but did not say anything more, she was too busy hiding her hands behind her back to warm them near the fire. Being careful not to let the man see her flexing her hands to bring feeling back to them for fear that he may think she was either untruthful, or that she was an assassin fiddling with a dagger.
The man nodded after a moment of contemplation. " Then I thank you for your great deed young woman. What is your name?"
" My name is Ashe the Frost Archer, Queen of the Land of Freljord."
The Jarl raised an eyebrow at the long title. " That's quite a mouthful there Ashe. Though I do not recall any such place in Skyrim by that name."
Before Ashe could explain, a woman with dark almost blue looking skin with menacing red eyes interrupted in a harsh voice. " There is no such place in all the world of Tamriel. Perhaps you are simply a heretic."
Ashe resisted the urge to glare at the woman but managed to hold her stoic gaze on the Jarl who glanced between the two women. An older man who stood beside the Balgruuf spoke next.
" I doubt she is a heretic, there are many small areas in our wide world of Nirn, perhaps it is just a small province that holds no significance."
Again the Freljordian Queen had to bite her tongue.
With an intrigued expression and a hand stroking his blonde beard the Jarl stared at Ashe as though he was considering his options here. After a long while of silence he seemed to come to a conclusion and leaned forward, looking Ashe directly in the eye as he spoke.
" I do not believe that you are any sort of heretic. However this dragon attack is a pressing matter. Delphine, the woman who sent you here, did she tell you anything else?" The Jarl seemed suspicious of both Ashe's intentions and this Delphine woman.
" Only that I was something called a Dragonborn. She requested that I meet her in a place called Riverwood." Ashe said in a calm voice that betrayed her hopeful feelings that these people might have answers to her questions about being a Dragonborn and what it was all about.
The Jarl nodded. " There are legends of the Dragonborn. They say that they are the only ones who can kill dragons, and harness the true power of the Way of the Voice. But I have never met one, can you somehow prove that you are one of them? Show us the power of the dragon's language."
Ashe gritted her teeth behind her closed lips, she was growing tired of all of this 'dragon born' nonsense but she decided to go along with it, since it could lead to answers. After quick glance around the room she spotted an unoccupied area of the hall and turned toward it. Focusing on the power of the word in her mind that she had used before she shouted the word. "Fus."
Just as before, the air around her bended and a sudden force knocked a golden plate off of the dining table that landed across the room with a resounding thud.
A gasp was heard from behind her and Ashe turned to see a man in dark robes staring at her in disbelief. " You are indeed the legendary Dragon Born." He said, his voice filled with awe.
Suddenly a booming shout could be heard from outside the keep that echoed like a thunder-clap over the land of Skyrim.
" Well that settles it then." The Jarl said as his eyes watched out one of the windows of the keep. " That was the cry of one of the Grey Beards atop a mountain known as the 'Throat of the World'. They are summoning you, the Dragon Born to High Hrothgar." He regarded Ashe again with a deadly serious look in his eyes. " They are well versed in the way of the voice, and can most likely teach you more about it. That is, if you are willing to learn from them."
Ashe simply nodded at this as the Jarl continued. " Again, I thank you Ashe. You have done a great deed for my people, that will not be forgotten. I wish you luck on your travels and whatever path you choose to take. However I would advise you speak with Delphine in Riverwood, the town lies at the base of the Throat of the World."
Ashe nodded and bowed to the man slightly. This was enough information for her to start with. From here she could find her way to this mountain, and hopefully more answers.
" Thank you Jarl Balgruuf, I appreciate all the information you have given me." With this the Frost Archer turned and regretfully departed the warm keep.
Once outside, Ashe immediately regretted having to leave the warmth of Dragon's Reach. Slowly the archer descended the cold steps into the city that was now dark and bathed in the pale light from the double moons that shined down on the streets.
It was quiet save for the occasional howling of the wind that flowed through the streets. Clouds where beginning to form over the city and they quickly blotted out the moon's light, and with them came a light snow that began to cover the streets in a sheet of fresh sparkling frost.
Ashe stood under the magnificent tree that sat at the base of Dragon Reach's steps, watching the snow fall as it coated the ground around her. Letting her mind wander, it drifted to thoughts about her home land, her people. How where they faring now? Obviously they would notice her missing and probably send out a search party. What worried Ashe even more about this was the idea of them pronouncing her dead and allowing Sejuani to take over as ruler of Freljord. What would she do then? Return and demand her title back? That would never happen and she knew it, but there was nothing she could do from here.
Frustrated now, Ashe balled her hands into fists as she cursed under her breath at herself for leading Travik and the others to their deaths. Trying to shake off those thoughts only led to the pressing ones about her predicament now. Lost in a strange world, with only the name of a city and a mountain, and some strange word of power that she could shout. All of this made now sense. Why was she brought here? To fight dragons? It was absurd.
Anger began to boil under the normally cool and calculated frost queen's skin until she simply could not hold it in any longer. With a loud growl she spun and slammed her fist into the side of the tree as hard as she could. Pain shot through her arm and up to her shoulder as the branches above her shook snow from it's branches down on top of her, but she didn't even feel it. All she could do was stare down at the snow covered ground with her fist against the tree and forcing herself to breathe deep and calm her thoughts ran rampant now in every direction until she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and wake up from this nightmare.
But she held it in, struggling with herself to stay calm as fear, anger, grief and guilt all began to set in her mind and heart. These emotions threatened to tear her apart and she could feel warm tears starting to flood her eyes. As the first one trickled down her cheek she immediately wiped it away.
Ashe pulled her now sore hand away from the tree and rubbed it a bit. Her knuckles stung from the frost that coated the tree and now her hand and it chilled her fingers though she could barely feel it. The tears she shed froze on her cheeks, but she ignored them as her mind tried to make sense of the previous twenty-four hours.
With her mind distracted, the archer didn't notice that she had started unintentionally wandering the streets. Although her eyes where down cast, she wasn't seeing anything past her own thoughts. Images of Travik and her hunters, friends and family relentlessly drifted through her mind. Along with the faint, hazy flashbacks of the forgotten temple, and the cold sapphire eyes of the dragon that faded into the fierce battle with the living dragon at the watch tower.
All of these thoughts where brought to a crashing halt when the ground all of a sudden felt like it vanished from below her feet. She blinked away her thoughts just in time to look down at the steps and ground that where rushing at her before she hit the ground and heard a resounding crack. After coughing to try and breathe the air back into her lungs that had been knocked out of her by the fall, the archer attempted to move but when she did her entire body screamed in agony. So there she remained, helpless in the streets of a unfamiliar city, in a strange world, as her mind and vision faded into darkness.
A throbbing pain in her left arm roused the archer from her dreamless sleep. With a groan she opened her eyes to find that she lay in a soft bed with a warm fire crackling off to the side of the room. At first, she was frightened, and quickly tried to sit up but the stabbing pain in her head, back and shoulder made her reconsider.
Trying to move her arm was also difficult, and she looked down to see that it had been splinted and wrapped in a soft sling. With no ability to move, Ashe slowly turned her head to look around the strange room. Wondering exactly how she had gotten here.
The room was well decorated with deer heads on the walls, and various tapestries depicting either codes of arms or what appeared to be abstract designs. On the wall above her hung a fine iron shield with two swords mounted behind it. But the most interesting thing in the room, was the woman who sat slumped in a chair next to the bed.
Ashe took a moment to look over the sleeping woman, The fire's soft glow elegantly illuminated the dark crimson hair that flowed down to the woman's shoulders that were adorned by silver shoulder pads. These attached to form-fitting leather armor that was held closed by three silver clasps that appeared to be almost tribal in their design. A chain mail and leather skirt led Ashe's eyes to the woman's finely toned legs and to the short sword that hung from her sword belt. What intrigued Ashe the most about this woman however, was the dark war paint across her beautifully angled, yet still soft and feminine features that resembled claw marks.
A slight smile played on Ashe's lips as she watched the slumbering woman shift in her sleep and mutter something. The archer admired the woman's fit and toned body that still looked as though it would be soft to the touch. Ashe wondered what her eyes looked like and if this person was the one responsible for bringing her here.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway just outside of the room and pulled Ashe's thoughts away from the woman beside her.
" Aela, I brought the food that you requested." A man said as he walked through the door carrying a plate of food.
The woman in question, opened her eyes and jolted upright in her seat, looking around as if she had seen a ghost for a moment before her gaze settled on the tall and dark-haired man in armor.
" Oh...thank you Farkas, I must have fallen asleep."
" Thats alright Aela. However, I think your friend here is awake." He said with a friendly smile as he walked over and set the plate of food on the table next to Ashe. " How are you feeling miss...uh..."
" Ashe." She filled in her name for him. " And I'm fine thank you, aside from a slight headache, but I think I'll live." She said this as she forced herself to sit up despite the excruciating pain that shot through her body as she did so.
" Good. Aela here carried you here to Jorvaaskr. Said she found you outside."
Ashe looked to Aela who was smiling at her with a look in her eyes that the archer could not quite understand at the moment before the woman spoke. Her voice was deep for a female, but still feminine and kind.
" I found you laying at the base of the Wind District steps. You where out cold so I brought you here." Aela said this as she stood up from the chair. " Be careful with that left arm of yours by the way, it's broken in three places."
After thanking Farkas who exited the room after giving Ashe a gentle pat on the shoulder, Aela closed the door and then crossed the room to sit on the bed. "Here, you should eat something, I bet you're starved." Her tone was gentle and caring as she picked up the plate of food and held it in her lap.
Ashe eyed the contents of the plate and glanced at the red-head with a slight blush on her cheeks as her stomach growled loudly. Great-fully she accepted the food and took a piece of bread and began politely nibbling on it.
" So what happened to you?" Aela asked as she set the plate back on the table.
" It's a long story." Ashe replied as she distantly stared at her food as all the memories from the past day or so filled her mind again.
" I'd be willing to hear it." A gentle and warm smile appeared on the woman's lips.
A sigh fell from the archer's lips before she took a deep breath and stilled her mind and attempted to straighten out her thoughts. When she felt like she could sort through them, she began explaining everything. From the storm in Freljord, to how she had come across the abandoned temple. She recalled her visions of the war, and of the dragon that had blessed her with her Frost abilities and saved her life. Then she explained the entire event of being transported to this land by the powerful magic of the dragon statue. From there, Ashe continued and told Aela of her battle with the dragon, and her orders to meet Delphine in Riverwood. Her tale was finished by telling her host about what the Jarl of Whiterun had said, and that she had been advised to meet with the Grey-Beards in High Hrothgar to learn more about this... 'Way of the Voice'.
Aela sat quietly for a moment with a thoughtful expression, mulling over the archer's words. " That's quite a story there Ashe. I couldn't imagine being just...swept away from my home and family like that. I don't know what I would do."
Ashe nodded quietly as Aela paused for a moment but then continued.
"Though I've certainly never heard of any place in Tamriel called Freljord. But I do know that there is all sorts of magic in the world, so it is not too far fetched to say that something, or someone brought you here for a reason. And if what they say is true, and you really are the legendary dragon born, then perhaps that is the answer. I have a feeling that if you complete whatever task you were brought here to carry out, there would be a way to get you home. If not, then perhaps there is a mage in the university that could help you."
Ashe considered the woman's words. She knew that she had to do something, wandering around aimlessly was not going to help her now. But what should she do? Should she go and meet with Delphine? Or these...Grey-Beards? With her mind suddenly more clear and back to being focused, she weighed her options, until she finally reached a decision.
With a new found confidence in her sapphire eyes, Ashe spoke in a soft voice.
" I think that I should at least go and speak to Delphine, she may have at least some answers about what is going on. If I have even the slightest hope of returning to Freljord, I think following this trail may be the only way to find a way to return to my people." Ashe said this in a thoughtful voice as her eyes drifted to the crackling fire.
" Well, it looks like you have your answer then." Aela replied with a smile and nod. " If you would like, I could accompany you on your journey. I know the land very well, and with that arm of yours, you wouldn't stand a chance now if you where to be attacked by a pack of wolves, or worse."
For a moment, Ashe simply stared at the woman in disbelief. When she came here, she hadn't expected to meet anyone who would truly be willing to help her. Delphine seemed as though she wanted to help, but they hadn't met long enough for the archer to make any sort of judgment about the warrior. But now, here she sat, in a warm bed, cared for and watched over by this woman who now offered to escort her across this harsh land. Ashe wondered for a moment if it was fate, or luck that she had fallen down those steps. Whatever it was, she was certainly thankful for it.
Finally she nodded to Aela and answered her offer. " Thank you, I don't know how I could ever repay you for your kindness. But rest assured I will when this is all over."
The red-head laughed softly at this. " Do not worry about payment. You just rest up and we will leave in the morning." As she said this, the warrior stood up from the bed and headed for the door. But Ashe's sudden gasp and hiss from pain stopped Aela in her tracks.
" Whats wrong?" She asked with a concerned look over at the archer who was attempting to stand up from the bed but making no real progress.
" My bow." Was all Ashe could say through gritted teeth as waves of pain shot through every muscle in her body.
Aela rushed over to the archer's side to gentl steadied her.
" Calm down."
" But...I need it, I can't return to Freljord without it."
As Ashe protested, the red-head reached behind the chair she had sat in and retrieved the archer's shimmering sky blue bow and it's quiver. " It's right here, and completely safe." She said while setting it carefully next to the bed. " Now lay back down before you hurt yourself more and get some rest while I go gather some things for our journey alright?"
Aela said this with a stern, almost motherly look in her eyes and her hands on her hips that made Ashe chuckle slightly and nod as she slowly laid back down on the bed.
" Good. I'll see you in the morning." With this, Aela made her way to the door where she cast a quick glance back over her shoulder at the snow haired woman who was already fast asleep. " Sweet dreams pretty one..." She whispered softly before she finally made her way out of the room.
The next morning, Ashe was awakened by the wonderful smell of something sweet. Her eyes opened and she sat up to find her headache and most of the pain from her fall gone. With her mind and body as rested as it could be in this state, she stood up from the bed and allowed herself a nice long stretch, being careful of her arm as she did so.
Afterwards she eyed the room curiously, attempting to identify where the delicious smell was coming from. On the table was a plate with two frosting covered rolls. Ashe began to reach for one, but was stopped by Aela entering the room carrying a large back pack that was slung over her shoulder casually.
" Oh good, your awake. I brought us some breakfast before we head out." She said this in a cheerful tone as she crossed the room and sat in the chair across from where Ashe stood.
With the woman now here, Ashe nervously took the roll and ate it quickly, but still politely. They sat in comfortable silence as they both munched down the delicious pastries.
When Aela finished hers, she waited patiently for Ashe to finish as well before standing up and offering her hand to the archer. " Are you ready? I gathered up a couple of bed rolls and some rations. Riverwood is about a two day's journey from here, if we need more I can hunt us something along the way."
Ashe nodded and took the woman's hand to stand up from the chair. They began to exit the room, but Ashe stopped in the door way. " Wait."
" Yes?" The huntress turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
" Do you have any apples we could bring with us?"
" I'm sure we have some, why?"
Ashe laughed and played with her hair shyly. " They're for my horse, Tollo. He's stabled outside the city."
" Oh, you didn't tell me you had a horse. We will be sure to bring pleanty for him too."
With this Aela led Ashe out of the Jorvaaskr living quarters and up into a large hall where several people in armor sat around a giant roaring hearth. Some of them wandered around and payed no mind to her. But the man named Farkas approached them when they descended the steps that led down into the hall.
" Well, well, look who's finally out of bed. Glad to see your feeling better Ashe."
" Thank you Farkas." Ashe said with a serene smile that made the man blush slightly.
" I heard that Aela is escorting you to Riverwood." He said with a glance at the redhead who shifted impatiently next to her and answered swiftly.
" Yes I am, please be sure to let Kodlak know that I'm leaving."
" You got it. And don't worry about a thing Ashe, you're in good hands with Aela the Huntress. She's one of the Companion's finest."
The archer raised an eyebrow and looked to the huntress. " The Companions?"
To this, the woman smiled proudly. " The Companions is an order of warriors. We are brothers and sisters in honor. And we show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough." The proud smile beneath her war-paint became more playful at her last words.
Ashe blushed slightly at the smile and turned her gaze away quickly, hoping that she hadn't noticed. What am I doing? She asked herself.
Aela looked confused at her when she turned back. It wasn't until then, that Ashe realized that her eyes where a startling silver color, and they enchanted her. Time seemed to slow around the two women as they stood with their eyes locked. Neither of them making a move to look away. There was nothing awkward about it, even the silence between them was comfortable, and Ashe felt like she could gaze into them for eternity and be perfectly happy. But there was something almost feral about them and beyond that, something deeper that the archer simply could not make out.
Farkas cleared his throat and both women's heads snapped to look at him. Both of them where blushing a deep red although no one would be able to tell through Aela's war-paint. Again? What is going on with me? For gods sakes I'm married. Ashe mentally kicked herself.
She was currently married to Tryndamere, the Barbarian King. It was a political marriage, and the king had always known about the well-kept secret that the Frost Archer vastly preferred the company of a woman in her bed. But now was certainly not the time for this, nor was Aela the woman.
Focus.
Ashe shook her head slightly and realized that she had completely lost herself in her thoughts, and when she payed attention again, she found that thankfully no one was staring at her, and the huntress and Farkas had been otherwise engaged in conversation.
" Well, I don't want to keep you two from your journey. Good luck, and may Talos guide you sister." Farkas said as he waved to them and smiled once more at Ashe before turning away.
When he was gone, Aela turned to Ashe. " So then, are we going?"
Ashe simply nodded to the huntress and they exited the hall of Jorvaaskr and made their way through the city of Whiterun. After making one last stop at a general merchant's shop to pick up a small sack of apples, they arrived at the main gates where the guards quietly let them through.
When the reached the stables, a loud whinny could be heard from behind the barn as they neared the fence. Tollo galloped out from behind the stone wall and over the fence, bucking excitedly. Ashe greeted him with an outstretched hand that held a fresh green apple which the horse gobbled up as if it where nothing and then sniffed his owner to attempt to find more.
" I'm sorry boy, I'll give you more later." Ashe said in a gentle voice while giving the horse as affectionate scratch on the nose.
" Hello again m'lady, and good day to you Aela, where are you off to?" The farmer said as he strolled over to the fence.
" Greetings Skulvar. We are on our way to Riverwood. Any thing we should watch out for?" Aela asked him while Ashe set about the task of saddling Tollo.
" Only the usual, wolves, giants and bandits. However there has been talk of some roaming Frost Trolls along that route, so be careful."
A simple nod answered him as Ashe led Tollo through the gate. Aela approached Ashe and rested her hand on the woman's shoulder to get her attention. " Shall I help you up?" She offered.
" No thank you, that won't be necessary." Ashe replied while she adjusted Tollo's reigns and the saddle's girth. Once she had decided that she was satisfied she clicked her tongue softly and whistled twice. On command, Tollo kneeled down low to the ground, with his back legs supporting his weight. This made it easy for Ashe to use her free arm to climb up into the saddle, and with a short whistle Tollo stood back up.
Both Skulvar and Aela stared at the archer and her horse for a moment.
" Neat trick." Aela commented.
Ashe smiled proudly as she ruffled Tollo's mane. " Thank you, we teach all of our horses that in Freljord for times like this."
Skulvar raised an eyebrow at the name Freljord, but otherwise did not say anything about it.
" Well good luck on your journey ladies, I gotta get back to the fields."
" So...which way is it to Riverwood?" The archer asked as Aela led them away from the Whiterun Stables. They walked only a few paces before they came to a fork in the road.
Ashe looked in both directions. One way appeared to lead across a small river and then disappeared behind a large mountain. The other, led toward a jagged and harsh looking mountain range. Before them, beyond the road was mostly flat plains that stretched for miles in either direction.
The huntress glanced up and nodded to the left. " This road will take us through that mountain range. Riverwood lies between it and the 'Throat of the World'. From there we will have to climb the 7,000 steps to reach High Hrothgar where the Grey-Beards live."Although she appeared calm, Aela's voice held a hint of uncertainty.
" Why do they call it the 7,000 steps?"
As she answered, Aela began leading the way down the road. " Because of the stone steps leading up to it of course."
" Right...of course." Ashe winced a bit at her stupid question.
Not knowing what to say to this woman made small talk difficult. For a few miles they traveled in silence, with the only sound other than the wind being the clip-clop of Tollo's hooves on the road until the cobblestones disappeared and the road became only a dirt path.
Ashe took this time to think over her plans. With Aela's help this whole thing would be much easier. But still she wondered what the meaning behind it all was. All of her answers sat at the top of this mountain. Or at least, that's what she hoped.
As the miles wore on, the queen's thoughts drifted away from her pressing problems, deciding that it would not do to over think anything. With the absence of those thoughts, Ashe found her eyes constantly drifting to her escort, who seemed to be also lost in thought.
" Do you think we'll encounter many creatures along the way?" This was the archer's last attempt to break the silence.
Aela remained silent for a moment, but answered as she cast a cautious glance around them. "Hopefully not many. But we are bound to come across some wolves and there are plenty of bandits that think they own all the roads in Skyrim. I pray that the rumors of the wandering Trolls aren't true however."
" Are Trolls particularly difficult to fight?"
" They can be. They're extremely tough and strike with the strength of five men."
" I see." Ashe said with a slight nod as Aela looked up at her with a sly looking smile.
" But don't worry, everyone who is a member of the Companions has fought Trolls and lived to tell the tale." Aela said this with a proud grin.
Ashe smiled at the woman's bragging. It was refreshing to be around someone who was confidant in their fighting ability. This helped the queen feel more and more at ease around the huntress, with the knowledge that she could count on at least someone in this world.
A comfortable and peaceful quiet grew between the traveling partners this time. Only the creaking from Tollo's saddle broke it when Ashe turned to watch Whiterun become a shadowy silhouette on the then sank out of her vision as they crested a large hill and began to descend down the other side.
When the hill flattened out to being flat again, they found themselves in a miniature valley where a wide river separated them from the foothills of the mountain range. This led them between two large hills where they came to a wide river.
As they approached the river, Aela took hold of Tollo's reigns to stop him as her silver eyes fixed on something across the river.
" What's wrong?"
Without answering the Companion crouched low to the ground and drew her bow. Not a single sound was made by the huntress, nor her bow as she plucked an arrow from her quiver and notched it. Only a slight whisper was heard from the weapon as Aela drew it back and trained it on whatever it was that the woman had spotted.
As she raised it to aim, Ashe traced her line of sight to find out what the threat was. Across from them, on the other side of the river was a large cat with long sabre fangs that stalked along the bank. It was obviously unaware of their presence since it's fierce eyes stayed focused on something in the water, most likely a fish or some other aquatic delicacy.
Patiently the huntress waited until the cat made it's way around a thick patch of brush and stopped to sniff something on the ground. Only a slight whooshing sound and the cat's groan of pain was heard before the animal stumbled and flopped over on the ground with and the arrow in it's chest. After a quick glance around Aela replaced her bow on her back and nodded to Ashe that the way was clear.
" Impressive." Ashe commented.
" They don't call me 'The Huntress' for nothing." Aela said with a smile as she led Tollo by his reigns to the river.
" How did you learn to hunt?" Ashe asked in a curious voice as they waded through the shallow parts of the river.
At first Aela stayed quiet, as if she was reluctant to answer the question. But when she did, her eyes drifted to the sky with memory clouded eyes before she answered in a soft, almost solemn voice. " Well you see, my mother was a companion, and her mother as well. I stayed with my father in the woods until I was old enough for my Trial. We hunted everything there was to hunt. Good training."
Aela paused for briefly and breathed a nearly inaudible sigh as her gaze turned from the sky to the ground. " Ma didn't live long enough to see me join." A determined look flickered in her eyes. " But now, I fight to honor her and all my shield-sisters through time."
" So the Companions are like a family. That seems wonderful."
" It is. No matter what, I can always count on my shield-brothers and sisters in a time of need. There is no one in the world that I would trust as my back or with my life more than them."
Ashe simply nodded at this and decided to allow the conversation to die down. They stayed that way for the rest of their travel as the road began to lead them up and over the small mountain range.
By the time they reached the summit, the sun was beginning to set and the sky had turned from the bright blue to a dark mixture of orange and red. To Ashe it looked as if the sharp mountain peaks had been lit ablaze. With this thought, memories of the giant screeching dragon flying through the air and scortching the innocent people below it filled her mind. But she instantly shook them away. It would not do to dwell on the past, it only served to make the future appear unreachable.
The archer was pulled away from her thoughts when her escort stopped again and looked around them. Aela scanned the area around them, looking between the trees and rocks that lined the road for something in particular. At first, Ashe was slightly concerned with the idea that there might be another large cat around, or perhaps something worse. But she relaxed when the huntress made no move for her weapon, and Tollo stood calmly beside her.
One thing Ashe had learned from spending a good majority of her own life in the wilderness was that if your steed is not afraid, then there is nothing to fear. Even more so, Tollo was a brave horse. Ashe recalled a time when she had been scouting in the western woods of Freljord and she had come across a boy who was being attacked by a bear, and when Ashe had Tollo step in between the starved animal and it's meal, he had done so without hesitation and even charged head-first at the lumbering beast to protect the young man.
Finally after a few minutes of being lost in thought,the archer noticed that it seemed like Aela had spied what she was looking for. Gently she took a hold of Tollo's reigns and led him and his rider off the road. A tiny brush covered trail led them to a rather secluded clearing that was only a few paces away from the mountain path.
" We can camp here for the night. If we carry on any further then we are setting ourselves up as supper for the bears and wolves of this area."
" Will we be safe here?" The archer asked as she swung her legs over the saddle and gracefully hoped down from her steed's back.
" Mostly." Aela answered as she set her pack down next to a fallen tree. " This area is pretty well sheltered. But don't worry I'll keep watch."
" I can keep watch too, I don't want to burden you." Ashe protested as the huntress wandered the outskirts of the clearing and began collecting firewood.
Aela quietly reserved any sort of response as she seemed to ignore the archer's protest. This annoyed the archer slightly. Despite her injured arm, she was not some helpless damsel in distress, and she planned on letting this be known.
With a slight huff to show her irritation Ashe stepped in front of the huntress who was currently bent over to pick up a piece of fallen brush. Silver eyes glanced up to meet with the icy ones of the Frost Archer when the black boot cut off her reach for the kindling. Slowly Aela stood up to her full height and set the bundle of sticks next to her. After brushing off her hands they settled on her hips and she regarded Ashe with a raised eyebrow.
Their eyes met and Ashe froze where she stood, every thought and word she had planned to say vanished from her mind. As much as she wanted to prevent it, her cheeks flushed and her mouth hung slightly open as her brain scrambled to form coherent words. But those enchanting silver pools held her in their stare yet again.
" Yes?" Aela asked in a gentle but confused tone.
" I..." Ashe's mind was still short-circuiting, but she finally recovered her composure. " I want to help at least keep watch. I appreciate you escorting me to Riverwood and to the mountain, but I refuse to be treated as though I am a delicate princess."
Aela was taken aback slightly by Ashe's commanding and regal tone. " I did not mean it like that Ashe. But you would not do well on watch by yourself with your arm still bandaged as it is."
A glare began to form on the archer's face, but it disappeared when the red-head placed a hand on her shoulder.
" But if you insist, I will let you stand watch, just do not hesitate to wake me if something wanders into our camp, alright?" Aela said this with an understanding yet amused smile.
Ashe nodded, satisfied with this as she leaned down and scooped up the bundle of firewood under her good arm. While she walked away from the huntress, she barely caught the small chuckle that made her smile, but she was glad she did.
Notes:
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure leave me a review and let me know your thoughts :)
Yes, I did combine a few of the main quests into one, simply to give this story it's own flavor, and because I did not want to completely stick to the script of the game. Because nothing is more boring than reading a copy and pasted version of the game with different names involved.
Thanks for reading, and please look forward to the next chapter.