The sky was dark. It must have been the almost sunrise. I guess that's what I get for going on an adventure in the early evening. I suggested we sleep where we were right now until the morning at least. I suppose lying down and falling asleep meant that she agreed. It's almost impossible for me to imagine that someone like her was a bandit. She doesn't seem like the type that infests old ruins and abandoned buildings. She was honest, humorous, and quite sensitive. She already revealed that she doesn't want to be a bandit. I suppose I have respect for her. I removed my own cape and covered her with it. Bear skin made good capes, mobile but still thick. The cape had a hood with a point in the front. The bear's head rested on the shoulders acting as protection and intimidation.
I awoke the next morning to find Soling shaking me.
"What' the matter?" I asked.
"I'm hungry."
You have to be kidding me.
"Let me see your chest," she ordered.
"Why?"
"Because it's covered in blood," she replied. I looked down. Sure enough, it was
"Fair enough," I said as I removed my shirt. Soling traced her finger along the cut, wiping away the blood.
"It looks fine," she commented. "But it might get infected if it doesn't close fast enough."
I thought that would be the end of that. But she stretched her hand and thousands of yellow magical particles flew from her hand towards my wound mending the ripped flesh. The rest of my scars remained but the cut left no traces. Okay, a bandit with a healing spell? Now, I need to ask.
"Tell me something, you're a cut away from the usual outlaws. You're really not bandit material. So, how does someone like you end up somewhere like here?"
"No, I never imagined I'd be living life as a criminal. What gave it away?"
"The fact that you know healing spells and that you didn't stab me in my sleep."
"I probably should have...now that I think about it."
"Yeah, probably. But you didn't. So, now you have to answer my question."
"Well, where I learned these healing powers is from my mother. My father was a soldier. My mother was a healer. Women made much better healers than men. Men are so careless and simply don't have the patience needed."
"Thanks,"
"Not you, you're fine,"
The end of this story probably isn't as happy as the beginning. Better let her finish though.
"My father's leg was cut off yet he survived with the magic of my mother. However, magic cannot cure pain. It can only mend a broken body. So, he consumed skooma in order to dull the pain during the healing process. He ended up dulling the pain until he died two years later. As you should already know skooma is expensive. We couldn't return the money fast enough legally...and had to get money another way. The law found out, and I soon had a bounty on my head. I had to leave. I-I couldn't return to my home."
I put my arm around her and pulled her closer. She was shaking a little but not crying. She faced her past and that was enough.
"We'll leave in a few minutes," I told her.
"Good," she replied. "I want to leave this place."
We made our way to Riverwood. The road was peaceful. Then again, after the adventure at Bleak Falls, everything seemed peaceful.
"Hey, you're back," Lucan called out to us. "And who's your girlfriend?"
"Not my girlfriend."
"Not yet," Soling said.
"Um, okay?" Well, better not drag on this conversation. I dropped the claw on the counter.
"Here, I got you your ke—I mean claw back."
"Ah ha ha! You actually found it! It seems smaller than I remember. Haha! Funny thing, right?"
"No, not really"
"Ah ha ha! Okay, then," he replied. Is he going to shut up anytime soon? "Here's the gold I promised you."
He handed me a pouch. I counted about twelve gold pieces at least. This means it was worth a hundred and twenty septims. I felt a touch that was obviously not Soling's. That means it belongs to…
"Hey, I see you've returned," Camilla, who would have guessed
"Get your hands off my boyfriend!" Soling shouted.
"Why are we going to Whiterun?" Soling whined. "Why couldn't we eat at the inn in Riverwood?"
"Because Gerdur might get pissed if she sees I haven't gone to Whiterun even after two days."
"What do you need to do at Whiterun?"
"Just need to get the jarl to assign some guards to Riverwood because of the dragons. Not much plans for after that. " Soling froze. I don't think I told her about the dragons yet.
"D-dragons?"
Nope, I didn't tell her yet.
"Yeah, there are dragons flying about in Skyrim now. Saw one at Helgen not long ago."
"What if we see a dragon?" She moved close enough so that we were touching. "What would we do then?"
"There are no dragons around and, unless we go looking for one which we are obviously not going to do, we're not in danger. I'm not a dragonslayer from the legends or anything. But, as long as I'm here… well, you know"
"You'll protect me, right?" she said in a hushed tone. "I know you will."
Soling quickly walked the rest of the way. I guess she was nervous about the dragons. I don't blame her. How can I? I would be more worried about her if she wasn't affected at all by the news. She pointed at a windmill in the distance. I guess we finally made it to Whiterun. I was worried when we approached the gates as the guards seemed on edge.
"Halt! The city is closed with the dragons about!"
"Well, that's why I came here."
"What?!"
"Yes, I was at Helgen. I come bearing news of the dragons."
"Well, fine!" He turned around and began opening the gate. "But I'll be keeping an eye on you." Then he turned around and went back to his post.
Whiterun made it seem like the many troubles outside were long gone. There were carefree children running around the streets and citizens happily conversing and trading. This seemed like a lovely place to settle down. Too bad it's not my turn to settle down yet. However, when there is peace, there is always a concealed conflict. A few redguards were talking to the guards about a redguard woman. I'll keep that in mind if I see a redguard woman.
Soling eagerly walked towards the centre of town. I don't blame her. After living the life of an outlaw, anyone would be excited to be in a carefree city. She caught a glimpse of an inn and walked in without waiting for me.
"So, a chicken, two steaks, two loaves of bread, a slice of goat cheese, and an apple pie. Would you like anything else?" Hulda asked Soling.
"Nope," Soling beamed turning to look at me. "You want anything?"
"No," I replied.
"That would be 80 septims, but you two look like travellers. I'll give you a discount for 70 if you recommend this place to people you meet."
"So, by a discount of 70, do you mean we get 70 off and pay 10?" I inquired.
"… No."
"Worth a shot," I replied with a smile as I dumped a mix of gold and silver on the counter.
"It's going to take some preparation. Why don't you two go take a seat by the fire."
We took our seats at a small table as Saadia desperately tried to jot down the excessively long order. With Soling's fur armour and cloak and my tattered leather jacket and common pants. We looked like a pair a bandits and were stopped at the gates. But I explained how we were sent by riverwood and made up a story about being abused by bandits and having to take their clothes because ours got ruined. They didn't believe we would have survived a bandit attack but after a quick duel we were in the city.
"I'm warm, comfortable and happy. I don't remember the last time this happened."
"When did you join those guys at Bleak?"
"Well," she sighed, "I actually found those guys right after I escaped my home. I only made it one day before I got scared of being alone. They ambushed me and wanted to take my belonging and… other things. But I was pretty good with a bow so they let me tag alone as long as I gave them everything I found."
"Well, they're not so bad. Other bandits wouldn't have taken your offer."
"They were only three people then, I guess they needed more members."
"They are just corpses now,"
"That, I am glad for."
"Hey," Soling said. "Do you ever get that feeling where your stomach hurts because you ate too much, although it was so delicious and it still feels kind of good?" I really wasn't expecting her to eat the entire order. I thought some was to go. Actually I thought most of it would be to go.
"No."
"You're no fun."
"You want to have fun?" I asked. "I'll show you fun." I then proceeded to push her into the pool of water at the bottom at the stairs.
"There we go," I said to Soling. "That was fun, wasn't it?" That's when she grabbed my neck and pulled me in.
Two people in light armour dripping with water. That must be exactly the kind of people the jarl of Whiterun would want to meet. The jarl proved me right by having his housecarl to greet us by pointing a sword at my face.
"What is the meaning of this? The jarl is not receiving visitors," the dunmer said, sword still pointed at my face. A dark elf is a housecarl in Skyrim. I was right, anything is possible.
"Just thought the jarl would like some information about dragons," I replied.
"And what do you know about dragons?" she asked slowly lowering her sword.
"Well, one of them almost killed me at Helgen. So, I guess I know a little bit."
"Well, you do look like you've been through oblivion" the housecarl said while sheathing her sword at last, "that explains why the guards let you in. Come on, then. I'm sure the jarl would want to talk to you personally."
She turned around and began walking expecting us to follow. The jarl seemed to be preoccupied with another conversation, however.
"My lord, please. You have to listen. I only counsel caution. We cannot afford to act rashly in times like these. If the news from Helgen is true…well, there's no telling what it means."
The man speaking wore higher class clothing and spoke in a high pitched voice. What he said showed that he was certainly not a nord and perhaps not a man.
"What would you have me do, then? Nothing?" The jarl spoke back with annoyance in his voice. The jarl's name was Balgruuf if I recall correctly. I don't know why he would make this man his counsellor. I have seen a rabbit give better advice.
"My lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act. I just-"
"Well, who's this, then?" The jarl cut him off as he saw me. His housecarl told him about my involvement in the Helgen incident.
"So, you two were at Helgen?"
"No, just me," I replied.
"You saw this dragon with your own eyes?"
"Ah, yes. I had a great view of the dragon while the imperials were trying to cut off my head."
"Really? You're certainly…forthright about your criminal past."
"That's because I have none. I am just a man who was at the wrong place at the wrong time." I sighed, "just like everyone else in Helgen at that time"
"Well, it's none my concern who the imperials want to execute anyways especially with the dragons about. What I do want to know is what happened at Helgen."
"What is there to say? A dragon destroyed Helgen and just left. Riverwood could use some help. It is vulnerable and defenceless. If that dragon is still here, it will have no trouble wiping Riverwood from the map."
"My lord," Irileth called. "We should send troops to Riverwood at once it-"
"The jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" The steward cut her off and talked as though he had a point. "He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him. We should not-"
"ENOUGH!" jarl Balgruuf cut him off. "I will not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people."
I wonder who the jarl wants to kill more, the dragon or his steward.
"Well done, you sought me out on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service I won't forget. Here, take this as a small token of my esteem." He had a servant hand me a set of scaled armour. The top half was sleeveless with a steel shoulder pad on the left and a plate at the heart. The bottom half was long pieces of fur aligned delicately with rings and scales of steel. The armour was well made, but the steel and lack of mobility in the legs would prove useless to me.
"There is something else you could do for me. Perhaps it would be suitable for a man of your talents."
God damn it.
"Farengar, my court wizard is doing research on dragons and…dragon rumours. He can be a bit difficult. You know how mages are. Farengar!" jarl Balgruuf called out to the mage. "I think I might have found someone who might be able to help you with your dragon project."
Soling was bouncing around Farengar's room picking up and touching random objects. I think I saw her shake a filled soul gem to see if she could hear what was inside. I bet she would have annoyed any other person to have killed someone by now. But she reminds me too much of my sister to react in any way.
"The jarl must be talking about my dragon project. Yes, I could use someone to fetch something for me," Farengar told me doing his best to avoid yelling at Soling.
"What's the catch?"
"Well, by fetch I mean dwell into an ancient Nordic ruin in search of a stone that looks pretty much the same as any other stone. Also, the stone might not actually be there. This whole search for it is just a guess on a presumed location."
"Sounds dangerous, I'm in. But, how would this tablet help you in your research of dragons?" I asked him. I have no problems with doing jobs for others, but I never take action without knowing what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Doing that caused two divorces and one murder.
"Ah, you are not like the brutes the jarl pushes onto me. You are a thinker perhaps even a scholar. Anyways, if my information is correct, then this stone should be able to act as a map to find other dragon burial sites."
Wait. A stone tablet that acts as a map.
"You mean the dragonstone?" I asked as I pulled out the stone I'd retrieved from Bleak Falls Barrow out of my bag.