Chapter two – Dragonsreach
With Lucia's hand in my own, we ascended the steps towards the Wind District. Lucia's eyes were darting around the place, she looked worried as if ghosts lurked in every shadow.
"Are you okay child?" I asked the nervous girl.
"Y . . . Yes, Lady Envy. It's just the last time I was in this district I ran into some trouble with a girl of my age and we ended up fighting." Lucia said with a slight quiver in her voice.
We stopped at the top of the stairs and I turned her to face me as I crouched down to her level. "Now you listen to me young pup. You are not weak. You will not let anybody take advantage of you again okay, life has played out how it has played out and you are in this current circumstance. You need to adapt to survive and letting other people take advantage of you is going to find you dead in an alley after being abused do you hear me? Nobody is here to protect you, there is only one person that you can rely on."
"You? "She asked hopeful, my heart went out to this poor girl. I felt like just holding her in a tight embrace and telling her that everything was going to be okay but I couldn't lie to her like that. I needed to tell her the truth, I needed her to toughen up so that I knew she would be ok.
"No child. Not me. The only person that you can rely upon is yourself, if you are hungry you need to find a way of getting yourself food. Begging on the streets might work, it might also get you robbed by other homeless children. Stealing might fill your stomach, but it might also get your hand chopped off by the Jarls justice. Do you know how to set traps and hunt?" I asked her, she shook her head saying that she didn't tears started to well in the corner of her eyes.
"I . . . I don't know what I am going to do." She said starting to blubber.
"Now you stop that right now pup. Crying isn't going to fill your stomach. I guess I can teach you the basics and then maybe you will be able to survive in these lands." I said to her with a sigh. I felt so sorry for the young girl, her whole life had been taken away from her and her auntie and uncle threw her out like a discarded salmon for the vultures. "Come on little pup, let's get up to Dragonsreach." Taking her hand in mine again I started to lead her through the Wind District.
Before us, located in the central of the wind district was the great Gildergreen. It was a huge tree towering to the same heights or even above the houses built around it. Though there is something special about this tree, the priests and priestesses of Kynareth consider the tree sacred.
We walked around the tree towards the stairs that ascend to the great hold of Dragonreach. Danica Pure-Spring, seen that we were looking up at the tree, she was sat on one of the wooden benches beneath it.
"It's a shame, isn't it?" She said to me.
"It is, it looks as though it's dying," I replied. "What's so special about this tree?"
"This is Gildergreen. It was planted in the early years of Whiterun. The disciples of Kynareth could sense something holy in it and travelled far to hear the winds of the goddess in its branches. They built the temple. Of course, not as many pilgrims these days."
"That's a shame," I said to the priestess.
"What's so special about this tree priestess?" Lucia asked her. I looked down and could see that she was engrossed in the woman's tale.
"Well to the east of here is where the Eldergleam resides. it's the oldest living thing in Skyrim. Maybe all of Tamriel."
"Truly? Wow, that is amazing." Lucia blurted out.
"Exactly little lady. Our tree here was grown from a cutting of that tree. You can still feel the glory of the mother tree through it. Even its name is an echo." The priestess said with a smile.
"Is there any way to revive the tree?" I asked her.
"hmm, I have thought about that. . . Trees like this never really die. They only slumber. I think if we had some of the sap from the parent tree, we could wake up its child. But even if you could get to the Eldergleam, you couldn't tap it. Not with any normal metal."
"Where is the Eldergleam?" Lucia asked.
"If you want to help," The priestess said sizing up our worth. "you'll need something to cut into it first. You'll have to deal with the Hagravens. I've heard about a weapon they've made for sacrificing Spriggans. It's called 'Nettlebane.' The hags terrify me, or I would have gone after it myself."
"They are a queer folk ill grant you that," I said to her trying to suppress a shiver.
"We will get Nettlebane for you." Lucia blurted.
I couldn't believe what the young pup had just signed us up to do. The shiver did not stay suppressed and ran all the way down my spine.
"Your spirit is strong. Kynareth's winds will guide your path." Just then a warm wind blew through the branches of the Gildergreen. The priestess raised her head almost as if she was listening to what the winds were saying. A smile crept upon her lips and she let out a deep sigh. "It's held in a Hagraven nest called Orphan Rock."
The priestess walked off when she was finished talking, she turned and headed back towards the Temple dedicated to Kynareth. I sat down on the bench beneath the tree, Lucia sat by my side biting into her thick slice of bread.
"Mmm. This is tasty." She said with crumbs falling down her grubby dress. "We are going to help them, aren't we?"
"I don't know sweet child. The Hagravens are creatures, they are half human and half bird. They are aggressive, carriers of disease and they will do their best to trick you into foul deeds for their own benefit." I told the girl. "The legends have it they was witches once upon a time, however, they gave up their humanity to become what they are today seeking power. There is no doubt they have succeeded as they best most witches and warlocks in magical combat. They despise nature and hunt down poor Spriggons for torture and sacrifice."
"What do they look like?" Lucia asked entranced in the story.
"They are human like with black scraggly hair, hooked noses, their skin is ghostly pale except for their solid black eyes. Their limbs are long and bony and their hands and feet are turned to sharp talons. Their clothes are tattered and scrounged from what they can find but most disturbing of all is they cover bind upon themselves hundreds of black raven feathers, one for each spriggon they kill."
Lucia gave out a little squeal as I ended the description of these foul creatures with a shout making her jump. I giggled at her shocked look.
"Lady Envy, we have to help." She insisted.
"Why are you so fixed on helping you girl. It is a dangerous path approaching Hagravens, one which we might not walk away from." I said to her seriously.
She looked down at her feet. "It's something my father said to me before he left to join the war."
"I'm sorry child." He was no doubt dead. There are hundreds of men and women signing up to join the war between the imperial soldiers and the Stormcloak rebellion that has consumed the land in these troubling times. "What was it he said to you, Lucia?"
"I begged him not to go, I begged him. He said he had to, he said that everybody must do what they can to help out in this world, for if we do not help others how can we expect others to help us." She said wiping tears away.
I rested my hand on her shoulder as she wept.
"I will think about it Lucia, but I can guarantee no promises."
"Okay."
"Anyway, you wanted to see the inside of Dragonsreach right? Well, let us be on our way. We have a lot of steps to climb you know and I am not getting any younger." I said to her standing up and stretching.
"How old are you lady envy?" she asked
"It was my twenty-fourth name day seven days' past," I said to her.
We walked away from the Gildergreen towards the ascending stairs up to dragons reach. We crossed over the wooden bridge built over a small stream gushing down from the small mountains. The stream passed by on both sides as we reached the bottom of the stairs.
Heimskr the priest of Talos was stood to our right before the flowerbed with the altar of Talos upon it shouting his daily teachings.
". . . The very idea is inconceivable to our Elven overlords! Sharing the heavens with us! With man? Ha! They can barely tolerate our presence on earth!
Today, they take away our faith. But what of tomorrow? What then? Do the Elves take your homes? Your businesses? Your children? Your very lives?
And what does the Empire do? Nothing! Nay, worse than nothing! The imperial machine enforces the will of the Thalmor! Against its own people!
So rise up! Rise up, children of the Empire! Rise up, Stormcloaks! Embrace the word of mighty Talos, he who is both man and Divine!
Trust in me, Whiterun! Trust in Heimskr! For I am the chosen of Talos! I alone have been anointed by the Ninth to spread his holy word!
Talos the mighty! Talos the unerring! Talos the unassailable! To you we give praise!
And deserve our praise you do, for we are one! Ere you ascended and the Eight became Nine, you walked among us, great Talos, not as god, but as man!
But you were once man! Aye! And as man, you said, 'Let me show you the power of Talos Stormcrown, born of the North, where my breath is long winter."
"Lady Envy?" Lucia asked me as we started to climb the stairs and Heimskr's voice grew quiet in the distance.
"Yes, Lucia?"
"Do you think he was telling the truth? Do you think one person can ascend to godhood through his or her deeds?" She asked.
"I do not know sweet child. I doubt it for if it is then every villain across the land would be seeking the power to do so and I don't think there are that many tyrants in this world." I told her.
We climbed the long set of stairs up to Dragonsreach. No matter how many times I visit that place it still takes my breath away. I guess it did for Lucia too for I heard her gasp when we reached the top. Looking down at her made me smile for her mouth had dropped open and her eyes were wide with amaze.
The great hall before us was truly a structure to be struck by, the enormity of it made the roaming mammoths seem like small dogs. It stands about 10 giants high with beautifully wooden arch frames. The word great hall seems like an inferior word to describe it, it is more like a beautiful keep.
"Come on little pup," I said to Lucia and pulled her along. We walked along the long wooden bridge suspended over a huge pond, home to a few fish and plants. Two braziers burned at the end of the bridge before the guard standing at his post.
"You are not allowed up here urchin!" The guard shouted at Lucia.
"Hold your tongue." I snapped at him. "The child is with me, we are here to see my father."
"Jarl Balgruuf the greater is busy, he is not receiving guests." The guard spat.
"The Jarl will make an exception. Now are you going to announce me or am I going to have to tell the Jarl why we are storming through the doors to his hall." I said to the guard silently urging the Skeevers turd to say something more to provoke me.
The guard slammed the end of his spear onto the ground in custom and opened the door for us. Stepping inside he called to my father. "Jarl Balgruuf, the Lady Envy is here wishing to speak to you."
My father said something in response and the door was pulled open wider to let us through.
I led Lucia into the reception room, a great fur rug lay on the floor in between huge supporting pillars either side of the rug. Over to the right, an elderly woman with white hair and fine clothes was sweeping the floor. Gerda her name is, I escorted Lucia over to the bench and told her to sit and to wait for my return.
"Gerda will keep an eye on you, I shall not be long little pup," I said to her looking over at Gerda. She looked up with a smile and a nod.
I ascended the first set of stairs to the upper part of the hall. Braziers were lit on either side up the flight of stairs, the warmth emitted from them washed over me. in the centre of the upper floor was the hearth fire blazing with life. To either side of the fire, tables were set out, it looked like the Jarl was getting ready to entertain some guests. Behind the tables rose great supporting pillars to keep the structure upright. Large round candle holders hung down from the supporting beams. Behind the pillars on either side lay the various rooms, draped upon the wall were great tapestries of the holds symbol, the white horse of Whiterun on a yellow banner. To the right was Farengar Secret-Fire the court wizard's study. No doubt he was within his dwelling submerged in one of his tomes. To the left led to the servants' quarters and the cooking fire.
I approached my father sat upon his mighty throne. Behind him, mounted on the wall was the huge skull of Numinex, the dragon slain long ago by the Nord hero Olaf One-Eye.
My father was talking to the courier that we saw charging through the streets so I waited my turn at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the dais where they were talking. My father was flanked by his personal Housecarl Irileth, the story goes they were soldiers in arms on the battlefield before his ascension to Jarl and since then she has been by his side protecting him. Two of Whiterun's finest guards stood a few meters away from my father, ready to attack any threat, ready to die for their Jarl.
"You cannot be serious! I do not believe it you fool, get out of my hold!" my father shouted at the courier.
"Please, you must believe me my Jarl. It was a real-life dragon!"