The Blind Dragonborn
Chapter Four
A new place a new scent
This boat ride was going to kill her before she even make it to this stupid island. Her round face was more paler than usual and her mind was spinning from this ill motion. She couldn't wait to get to solid ground. She never thought that she would be such a ground lover till now. She felt Midnight nudging her the back of her leg as she was bent over on the edge, puking her guts out into the sea. Winter kept guard over her, watching ever crew passing by her. She knew that most of the crew were grinning at her misery, maybe as far as snickering at her. She wasn't sure on that because her mind couldn't focus on any sound around her. After that intense demand to bring her here from the captain, most of the men were not happy with her. Her dark grey hair was tied back in a braid to keep away from her face. The wind blew a few strands left and right. Thankfully, the wind was somewhat refreshing for her as she stood over the edge. "How much longer till we get there, captain?" She growled at him. The man couldn't help smiling at her, knowing that her legs were new to the sea. It was always like this with new comers and it never stops to amuse him.
"Not much longer. You'll be on ground soon enough." He informed her with a smooth voice. There was a small chuckle that she was able to pick up from him afterwards. Skye let a satisfied groan, happy to hear those words more than anything. However, she was annoyed by the fact that he found this as a joke. Skye felt the jerking of her stomach again, but nothing came out. Where was not anything in her to be put out from the sea. By the nine, she wanted to get there as soon as possible. It took another twenty minutes before she felt the circling motion of the ship stopped to a rocking. The harsh winds now settled to a nice breeze. Skye let out a sigh, already feeling a little better now that the ship has stopped. Footsteps came up to her from behind her, pausing before Winter. Winter growled lowly at the visitor, warning him not to come near her while she was like this, vunernable. "Do you need any help?" The captain asked her with a soft voice. He was still frighten, it was still laced in his voice. But he seemed to calm over the boat ride here. Maybe he realize that she might be able to stop the weird feeling on this island.
Skye slowly stood on her feet, feeling less neasue than before, but still felt ill. Her body swayed while she tried to get back on balanced feet. It took longer than she would have liked. She shook her head to him, stumbling over towards the docks. Midnight and Winter helped kept her steady on the way there. She never knew her legs could get this weak, ever. The ground was not going to be taken for granted ever again, not in her life time. Faintly, her ears picked up someone walking behind her, to make sure that the blind woman was safe.
When her feet hit the wood floor of the dock, Skye had dropped to her knees, startling some of the people around her. They gazed at her with a confused expression on their faces when her head was placed on the ground and arms spread out, as if she was hugging the floor. Some of the people crinkle their nose in annoyance at her silly action. Others just rolled their eyes and went back to their daily task. Skye never felt better now. Midnight and Winter licked her face with glee and it made her giggle at the feeling. "I missed you land, so much. I promise to never leave you again." She said in a dramatic way, but her words could never be more truer. She was never going on a ship ever again. Flying a dragon was much better than that torture of being on a ship. The captain chuckled at her, shaking his head at her as he stepped on the dock. He had his arms folded, his body became stiff.
"Just keep that nose of yours clean here. The laws here are different than from Skyrim. Be sure to play nice here." He reminded her again. The captain explained what was expected of her once she step foot on that island. The confused look on her face was to be expected of her. Anyone traveling out of Skyrim would be culture shocked by the things on other lands. Solsthiem was a complete turn around from the Nordic land, of course the land is ran by dark elves, so it would be strange for a nord. Skye nodded her head at him while getting back up on her feet. Midnight moved in front of her while Winter moved behind. A protective stance taking hold of them.
"Thank you. I will be sure to get whatever is haunting this island for you." The captain didn't say a word about the strange feeling on this island. He didn't want to attract this evil thing to him. He wanted to live a long life.
"My route is every three weeks." He told her, leaving her confused by his words. "For when you want travels back to Skyrim. Once you are done with whatever is here." His voice went lower by the end of his sentence. Skye smile at him. The blond man was taken back by this grateful smile. Not many people give this smile in Skyrim these days. The land became colder since the war started.
"Thank you for bringing me here. And sorry about before, I usually do not act like that, so thank you." Skye bowed her head a bit, her grey hair that was braided before was now flowing over her round face. Those pale blue eyes shifted around in stress to let him know that she was a bit frighten as well, but, unlike him, she was willing to be brave and stop it. He glanced down at the white wolf, Winter if he remembered correctly. She gazed at him gratefully for treating her master well. Those yellow eyes seemed intense as if hunting. The black one, Midnight, that he knew, was watching their surroundings. He looked out for anything that might harm Skye in any way. Loyal pets, he mused to himself. Skye waved at him to leave him to his work.
The blind woman walked away, using her senses to guide her in this new place. Those attackers did come from here that was for sure. The ash on this place invaded her nose, causing it to crinkle unamused by this. It trickled in places that annoyed her and somehow she felt the ash on her skin and it didn't feel nice. What happened to this place? Why was it covered in ash? She wondered to herself as her feet hit stairs. Skye sighed to herself while Midnight tried to guide her by pushing. A hand got placed on his head to keep him calm.
She took her time getting up, one step, two step. She kept counting until there were no more steps to take. There was some kind of building in front of her. She wasn't sure what is was. It was quiet inside, only cracking wood under the fire. There must be someone in there, keeping the fire going if that was the case. A person passed her, sneering at her. Skye furrowed her brows at this, but left him alone. She knew anyone in that kind of mood was not worth talking to. This was going to be fun, she thought bitterly to herself. This place here was different and the scent of this place was too strong for her liking. And she can already tell that she will just love the people here with the way that man had treated her. Skye couldn't hold back a few coughs when the smell managed to reach her throat. She began to wonder if she will ever survive here.
Her head turned from left to right, trying to figure out which way to go in this city. There was more activity to her left, footsteps, and murmered voices. Her right was silence. Maybe a few unknown creatures crawling around the ground, but she knew she wasn't going to find much by going that way. Still, her mind wondered what could over there. Where does one start in finding a person without word going out? Placing both hands on the wolves' heads, she let her pets to guide her a bit, letting her senses help as well.
The people here seem to ignore her for the most part, much like the people at her home. People don't change much no matter where you go, it seems. Which was really fine with her. At least it was something she was use to in this foreign place.
Skye went to the sound of the people walking around and chatting away. Some people were pitching in their sells and other were whispering over business. It seems that these people's shops were outside unlike Skyrim. There were somewhat fresh food, different kinds of potions, and there was something quite different with the material the blacksmith was using. She was beginning to feel homesick now. She missed how Riften felt and the scent. The relaxing sound of the lake on a perfect afternoon with a mug of mead in her hand while Winter and Midnight laid off somewhere on the porch with her. Skye sighed to herself, bringing those feeling down. Feeling like this will bring her to her downfall here. She cannot afford to do that to herself.
"My brother is a blacksmith there if I remember right." Delvin's word echoed in her head. Skye forced herself to relax, getting ready to talk to a stranger here. The blacksmith wasn't far from where she stood and she hoped that this was really him that Delvin was talking about. She was not going to make a fool of herself at all on this island like she does in Skyrim. Hesitantly, she walked over to the area, footsteps felt a bit shaky. The familiar smell of smoke, metal, and sweat brought her back to Skyrim, to Riften. This place was so foreign than what she was so use to. "Glover?" She called out, unsure. The man hammering his weapon paused at the sound of his name. The ringing his ears didn't stop when he did. He rubbed it a bit, the sound lessening by then.
He straighten his back, glancing at the tiny woman standing before his shop. Her grey hair in was messy like she traveled far away, probably she has, he thought. The blacksmith wasn't sure where she would have come from. There was a look of uncertainty written on her face. Pale eyes shifting as if they don't know where to go. Blind? He raised a brow at her, a bit impressed with her. He noted the two wolves that stood behind her, keeping their eyes on him while they were conversing one another. He let a smirk at the two beasts, more than impressed by this small nord now. "Yeah, what is it, sweetheart?" He asked her. Skye didn't looked amused at his words. Her lips were in a straight line, eyes narrowed, but her eyes shifted everywhere. Glover smirked to himself, letting his eyes roam a bit longer than he should. "Who are you?" His eyes didn't leave her body until she spoke again with more confidence.
"What? Can't recognized a fellow guild member. Very shameful of you. I think Devlin would be so disappointed." She said with a smirk on her face. Glover stagger back in shock at the mention of his brother's name, then a relieved sigh coming out of his mouth. By this action she heard just heard, she guesses Delvin hasn't kept in touch with him for some time now. Why was she not surprise by that? The man is kind and has his own kind of charm, but the man can be very lazy to do some things. It seems writing a letter to his own brother was one of them. Skye sighed to herself, while shaking her head at the thought. She would have to remind herself to scold him when she gets back.
"A thieves guild member walks on these ashes." He went back to his work, grinning like a child. It's been a while since the last time he saw another member. There were no words with how impressed he was with her. It also didn't hurt that she was beautiful. "What brings you here, stranger? This island isn't the place the guild is after." Skye sighed to herself, running her fingers through her grey hair. Stress ran through her blood like a river. Glover gave a side glance at the stressful look, making him concern a bit. He pull the handle on the forging place, air being forced out to heat the fire up some more.
"It will be hard to explain the story to you," she trailed off, wondering if she can trust him enough with her secret. The man hummed out to her, a singal to let her know that it was fine for her not to tell all the details to him. He was use to some secrecy in the guild. Everyone may be good family there, but they all have to draw a line with their jobs sometimes. If they want something for themselves, they have to seal their lips about it. Skye gave an understanding look towards him, but her body told him otherwise that his thoughts were not the case. "These people attacked me on the way to Riften. They came from this island. I know because of the smell of ash here." She explained to him while wrinkling her nose. "I'm trying to figure out why they attacked and who sent them." Glover huffed out a breath at this, not finding it hard to believe that. If anyone hears how powerful a person can be, threats and fights were bound to happen down the road. He shook his head, then glanced at her once more. His eyes lingered over her again biting down the urge to ask her to bed with him. It may have been a while for him.
"I'm guessing you're not just a thief than, huh?' Glover noticed her smile, telling him all that he needed to know. Glover chuckled at her which made her giggle a bit. Her pets purred, seeing him as no threat to their master. "I'll let you use my shop for a place to sleep when you really need it. I also have some potions and other things if you need it for whatever you are going to do here. Oh, and when you get back to Riften, tell my brother to send a letter or something to let me know if he's alright. A man can only take so much." He suggested to her. Skye scoffed at the old man back at the guild. The two of them knew the old man too well it seems.
"I'll make sure of it whenever I get back there." She promised him. Skye asked the man about matiral she might need on this island from gear to weapons. Just like in Skyrim, there are some warmer places and colder places. She was none too pleased about the cold parts of this island, but nothing can help her there. "Thanks for the advise. Oh and one more thing." She paused, not sure how to ask this question him. "Do you know of a person named Miraak here?"
Glover hummed out to this. The confusion rolling off his body was strong. "That name sounds familiar and yet I have never heard that name in my life." He answered her in a low tone. The question spooked him somehow, sending shivers down his spine. The blind woman could tell that he became uncomfortable and didn't want to speak more of it. Skye sighed at this. Finding Miraak was going to be harder than she thought it was going to be. Finding someone wasn't the easiest in her books, but this was another level. Where could he hide on this island if no one knew him?
"Well, thanks." She told him then walked away from him. She went around the small market place, asking about Miraak and where they might be. Most of the time she has gotten the same answer, other times she has gotten some kind of chant. Then one person was able to mention more about this Miraak. They told her a dream they had about building a temple and their bodies not in their control. "A temple?" She questioned to herself as she walked down a trial with Winter and Midnight beside her, helping her walk straight on the trail. Their paws crunched on the ash below them. Skye felt like they were walking on the beach of Dawnstar. The ashes managed to get in places that weren't pleasant. It rubbed against her skin irritatingly.
Skye thought about this, what is Miraak planning? What will he gain from it? This situation proved to be more troubling than first believed. Maybe she should have brought someone from the guild to help her, secrets be damned. This was not something she could deal with alone. She will have to hire someone to be her partner for most of the journey. She will have to find where they might be first to buy them. Maybe she can ask Glover if he wanted to.
Skye then could hear a group of people not too far from where she stood on the trail. Sounds of hammering and footsteps wandering around that small arear. The people there hummed out like mindless dead. Skye's brows knitted a bit. These people weren't dead though. Her feet traveled over, careful on where she stepped. The people there were groaning still, as if they were somewhat asleep. Two brows furrowed a bit more, her heart strings being tugged at this sounds. This was not a good deal. This mind control over these people was cruel. Magic pulsed from something that was in the middle of all this. It was more powerful than anything she has felt. She trembled at the feel, wondering if this was Miraak's power.
They chanted out something, it was confusing. None of what they were saying made any sense to her. A hand took hold of her shoulders, turning her around. Skye pushed the hand off of her while lifting a fist at the stranger. The two wolves growled at the opponent that touched her. The voice of a man let out a frightful sound, not expecting a hostial behavior. She calmed down at this, breathing in to relax herself. Winter and Midnight, however, were still in their fighting stance. "It seems you're not like any of them, interesting." A man stated out to her after recovering from his shock. He was fascinated by this discovery of finding a person not being controlled by whatever magic that was here. Skye's lips were pulled into a straight line at this.
"What's going on here?" She asked him with a soft voice. Her ears caught every movement they made and it caused her to stiffen. Both wolves nudged against her legs, rubbing their heads to sooth her from her axnietiness.
"I am not sure of anything that is happening here. It was all of a sudden they needed to do something, build something for someone that was coming." He told her the news. The man said with a courious tone. Skye scoffed at him, not every happy with his behavior over the situation. "So, what has bring you here?" The man questioned her with a curious tone. He bended down to getting on her eyes leveling, finally realizing that she was blind. The dark elf had smirked at this. Maybe that was part of the reason why she wasn't a mindless worker. She heard another person chant out something. She wondered if he knew anything else that is happening here.
"Would you know anything about Miraak?" She asked him in a serious tone, getting right to the point. The man hummed at the question, cupping his chin in thought. Why did he knew that name?
"Miraak, Miraak, where have I heard that name before..." He trailed off to himself, thinking over the name. "Wait, I seem to recall. However it doesn't make any sense." Skye went confused by this, not following where he was going with this. "Miraak has been dead for thousands of years." Skye felt her heart drop this. She was dealing with a ghost? She hated ghosts. Skye scowled to herself at the thought. Dark grey strand waved in front of her face, tickling her nose. Her pale blue eyes shifted everywhere, frighten.
"What does that even mean?" She asked him, her voice shaking a bit. She hoped beyond hope that she will not be dealing with ghosts. They were much harder to fight off and it was harder to actually find them in battle. Being blind had disadvantages, and that happened to be one of them. She remembered going to a haunted ruin, and she was happy to have a partner with her. What was her name? Lydia, that was her name. Skye blew out a sigh at the memory. Not like the she wasn't much help, it was just that there was so many ghosts to fight off. Of course that was at a time where Skye was the freshly new dragonborn learning to fight off dragons and other things.
"I cannot be too sure. But it is fascinating, is it not?" Skye frown at him. "Perhaps it has something to do with what is going on here; so very unexpected. I could tell you where Miraak's temple is placed. At the center of this island, you should begin your search there if you want to find anything on Miraak." The man finished. The blind woman let everything she found out about Miraak sink in. He has been dead all this time, yet those strange people claim that he will be back. Skye felt her head spinning with all this information and even more questions. She began to think what this Miraak person really is. Was he a ghost? It could be possible. But it still did not answer on what he will gain from doing all of this. Besides, would he be haunting one area then the whole island? Could he be like the dead dragon priest she had dealt with in the past? Was he really a dragonborn? She was becoming sick with so many question swarming in her head.
"You never thought of trying to stop them?" She questioned in a dark tone. The man scoffed at her as if she was ridiculous. Skye felt insulted and annoyed by his reply. But she kept herself in check. She was on a new land with new rules in place, she didn't need to do anything drastic, yet. The white wolf eyed the dark elf down with her piercing yellow color, making the man roll his eyes.
"And why would I ever do that? And miss whatever will happen after they are done." The man told her.
People these days. It was hard to ask for a helping hand it seems. And now no one is willing to help people when they need it most. Like now, for institent. These people were being controlled somehow. But why isn't controlling the others over in the market? Why wasn't she being controlled by whatever this is? No, the people in the market were controlled at some point, maybe when they were sleeping. She wasn't sure by this. They managed to break free from that somehow. Maybe that was because most of they were dark elves and they knew magic more than any other person other there. It was a theory, but might have been a wrong theory. Skye ran her fingers through her hair at this thought.
Skye growled to herself, walking away from the scene. Her pets followed her behind her, knowing that she knew the trail well enough to pace herself. She wants answers and she wants this Miraak person to be gone for good. It was not right to control the minds of the people. It wasn't right what he was doing here. She will find him and she will give him a piece of her mind.
Skye wandered around, buying some things for herself and the two wolves. Her mind reeled over everything that happened just today. She thought on how she was going to get to the temple. She really needs help with that. But where could she find the right help for the right price? Skye sighed to herself as she stood near a stone wall, smelling the material in the mine. She knew that was a bit of ways from the market, but not too far away. Just enough for her to think safely. There was a guard patrolling the area, humming a tone to himself. Skye feed the two wolves their meal, hearing them chew their way into the raw meat. It sounded disgusting, but that was what she had to pay for keeping them. And she wouldn't want to lose them not for a second.
She got a room at the inn later on that day, feeling too tried from the world. Winter was outside the inn with Midnight for the night. Skye placed her ten gold piece on the bar for the owner here. At least the price for a room was the same. She can plan a bit more smartly with her stay. She place her bag in the room that she rented, closing the door behind her. The top of her gear was taken off, leaving her in her top undergarment and pants. Her hair was being pushed back from her face, feeling the waves spreading on her back. A sigh was pulled from her lips while small quiet feet walked over to the bed. After sitting down, Skye began to think over what happened today as she took off her boots. They landed beside her with a light thud. The air wrapped around her feet, making goose flesh to travel up her body.
It seems he was controlling people to rebuild that stone, but it couldn't be just that stone. If Miraak was really powerful for him to send people to kill her, there must be more out there on this island. Not to mention this temple some of the people said to her. There would have been no gain for him by having people build just that stone on this island. Skye ran her fingers through her grey hair, the strands falling over her bare shoulders. Shadows help her. This was proving to be difficult for her. But she got somewhat a lead on finding this guy. Maybe. If he is truly dead, then he must be haunting this island. She was not looking forward to that.
She laid down finally, letting sleep take over her. She will have to worry more about it in the morning while she finds a person to hire. Skye shifted over to her side getting more comfortable for sleeping. Only darkness invaded her sleep.