We entered High Hrothgar and my breath was taken away. The fact that my mind could bring these things up impressed me. The Greybeards stood in a circle, but I couldn't define who was whom.
"Ah, welcome." I bowed to the Greybeard who had to be Arngeir. He ignored me and bowed to Vorin. "We've long expected you."
"I have come to learn, Master." Vorin stood like a soldier, shoulders back and back straight.
Arngeir smiled under that response, but he then turned to me in confusion. "Who are you?"
Vorin answered in my stead, "This is Erika. I found her on the mountain, Master."
Arngeir nodded, turning the words over in his head. "Where are you from, Lady Erika?"
"I am no lady," I corrected, "and you wouldn't believe the truth of my home."
Arngeir gave me a look that said 'try me.' "I come from Cheyenne, Wyoming."
"Where is that?" Vorin thought aloud.
"In a completely different dimension." I answered in complete honesty.
Arngeir shook his head. "We'll deal with you later." He waved me off to the side. "Now, are you truly the Dovahkiin?"
Vorin closed his eyes. "I am not sure, Master."
"IF you are, then loose your shout on my brethren and I." He stepped back, arms open to the impending attack.
"Fus!" Vorin yelled, the sheer force of the Shout knocking the old men off their feet.
Arngeir nodded contently. "Welcome, Dovahkiin." They began teaching him more about "Force, Unrelenting force," and I just sat on a freaking bench by myself.
A voice kept entering my head. 'Be ready to repeat anything I say. Do you understand?' It sounded like that man from my school.
"Now for you, miss Erika." Arngeir said, a foreboding sound in his voice.
"What town do you hail from?"
"Cheyenne, Wyoming, America."
"Where is America?"
"On Planet Earth."
"Are you jesting?"
"No."
"Are you a Nord?"
"No, I am an American."
"Be honest now, woman."
"I am." I snapped angrily.
The other Greybeards began muttering in Dragon Language, causing the whole mountain to shake. "Master, please. I am convinced Erika is telling the truth." Vorin plead on the deaf ears of Arngeir. The two began to argue while the others spoke in verse.
Something took hold of me, commanding me from else where. "Nahlot!" I screamed, bringing silence upon all of High Hrothgar. Vorin tried to say something to me, but his voice was gone. I grabbed Arngeir's robes and pulled him close to me. "Kos nahlon Mudozaan, waan hi dreh ni hind wah luft dii jahr bah. Zu'u los yor Zahr do Akatosh. Faas zey." I released the stunned Arngeir and felt the presence release me as well. But it did squeeze one last word out of me: "Tinvaak."
Vorin stepped cautiously towards me. "Erika?" He seemed shocked to hear himself. "Are you alright?"
I nodded, afraid to open my mouth. Arngeir was visibly shaken by what had happened, but he composed himself as quickly as possible. "So," he said in a quiet voice, "you are what you say. This is surprising." He mused. He narrowed his eyes in thought and asked, "How did you learn the Dragon Language?"
"I-I didn't." I stumble over my words.
He stroked his beard in deep thought. "Dovahkiin, I believe the answers will come with time." Arngeir said. "Take her to one of the forts for now."
"Yes Master." Vorin bowed. Coming to my side, he took my hand gently. "Are you ready to go, Erika?"
I nodded and let Vorin lead me out of High Hrothgar. "We'll travel back down to Ivarstead, then use my horse to travel from there." He instructed, but in his words he questioned if I approved.
"Alright." I said quietly, keeping my eyes forward. I refused to look back at High Hrothgar, not wanting to remember the feeling of uselessness I had when that feeling possessed me.
He glanced at me through the corner of his grey eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it and we continued walked. 'You did well, Erika.' The man's voice and presence entered again.
'What are you?' I asked.
'I am Akatosh. And you are my soldier in the impending civil war.' He said as he left again.
I trembled in the cold, and chided myself with a grin. Wyoming gets colder than this, why the heck am I cold? Of course, I check that I don't have proper snow gear, only a blue dress and knee high hide boots.
"So Erika," Vorin finally spoke up, "where should I take you?"
My mind raced through all the forts, trying to choose one where I would be safe. "Not Riften." I said laughing. He joined me, and he added, "not unless you have a need to run into thieves and beggars."
I tapped my chin. "Maybe Windhelm." I posed. It was a nice area.
"Sure." He agreed. "I've been needing to go to Windhelm, anyway."
