"I still don't see why we couldn't go with him?" Morzan asked sitting down complaining about the fact that for whatever reason Haltan had to go on his own to retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Apparently 'this is a quest for the Dragonborn and he alone.' or so the Greybeards said.
"Because the Greybeards say so." Lydia said with the typical deference nords had for the Greybeards. It was understandable they had amazing power but never used it for personal gain and many kings of past had turned to them for guidance. Of course both sides wanted them to stay out of the civil war for fear that they might take the others side, the power they held was not to be underestimated. A common tale in skyrim was of Babak the fifth, otherwise known as Babak the Arrogant after managing to wrest control of skyrim from the Jarls he had gone to the throat of the world and demanded the Greybeards join his kingdom or die. When the Greybeard told him they would not bend a knee he ordered his army to attack.
And in a single sentence the Greybeards both declared war and ended it. The power of their voice destroying the entire army. The survivors of that attacked were never the same jumping at every little sound and curling into balls every time they heard thunder claiming the Greybeards were angry.
"And what makes them so wise." Haldar grumbled, frowning.
"Still mad about the fact that they refused to teach you how to use the Voice?" Lydia asked with a small smile.
"I don't see why you didn't accept their offer." Morzan said, it seemed like a pretty good deal, at least for Haldar. He would have the protection of the Greybeards and get to learn all about the Voice, and while true he would have to stay on High Hrothgar it wasn't like he was going to be doing much travelling in winterhold anyway.
"I am already blind being stuck on a bloody mountain for the rest of my life in the cold? No thank you." Haldar said shaking his head. "But I did manage to convince to teach how to share my knowledge."
"Share your knowledge?" Lydia asked confused. "Does that mean you can give others the ability to speak the Voice?" that could be very dangerous, she could easily imagine an army of Stormcloaks storming the capital with the use of the Voice.
Haldar shook his head once more. "Not really it only works for those who can already wield the Voice and could possibly even kill them. The only person in the world who can handle it without any difficulty would be-"
"The dragonborn?" Morzan guessed accurately and Haldar nodded.
"Exactly so with this I can aid the dragonborn with his quest and that was the only way I was able to convince them to teach me." he was still able to meditate on words of power, they couldn't stop him from doing that. He knew the words but they were buried in his mind and until he understood them they would remain buried.
"So how many words have you learned?" Morzan asked.
"Two three if count the one I learned before we got here." Haldar answered making both of them blink in surprise.
"That's it?" Morzan asked at the same time Lydia said.
"That many?"
Morzan turned to Lydia in surprise. "That many? The kid has been at this for two months now and he only learn three words."
"Ulfric Stormcloak knows only about a dozen and he studied at High Hrothgar with the help of the Greybeards for ten years!" Lydia told him surprising Morzan he assumed the reason the language was so rare was because only stone was strong enough to hold a Word and most of them were scattered on those strange walls all across Skyrim, making it very dangerous to go and find them.
"So how did he learn so fas- son of a Thalmor you didn't!" Morzan said realizing when he could have gotten this ability to learn so fast.
He immediately realized Morzan knew what happened with the Black Book. "I had no choice! It was either that or die in that place." he told Morzan standing up defensively.
Morzan growled. "What did you offer?"
"What happened? What's wrong?" Lydia asked feeling left out, Harry made a deal with someone and they gave him the ability to use the Voice, but it would have cost him greatly that sounded like. "You didn't? No way you would be so stupid to make a deal with a daedra!" She shouted using logical deduction. "What did it cost you?" she demanded.
"A language for a language." Harry told them slightly defensively. "I knew a language he didn't so he offered me the ability to learn the Thu'um at an accelerated rate."
"You are lucky that's all he took!" Morzan shouted. "Hermaeus Mora is not to trifled with!"
"What you have had me do! Do know what it was like in that realm?!" He asked angrily. "I was surrounded by those creatures! I barely made it to a safe point before I nearly died I never would have made it out!" He shouted. "So yes I do think it was a good deal!" he shouted before storming off. The building shook and Morzan looked out the window it was strange constantly being around the greybeards, hearing and feeling there shouts. He didn't know how Haltan dealt with it growing up, he would have been driven mad. It was no wonders it was such a small town, though he supposed to the Dragonborn hearing those shouts must have felt soothing if the legends about him being a dragon in mortal flesh were true.
After that argument the group didn't talk for two weeks until Haltan reappeared looking haggard and annoyed. "Dragonborn where is the horn?" Arngeir asked as Haltan glared at the ground before reaching into his bag and handing over a letter.
Arngeir read the letter and slowly began to frown. "Someone stole the horn and wishes to lead you into a trap no doubt."
Morzan grabbed the letter and read it as well. "What if we spring it?" he suggested. "The rest of us follow behind and when they try and catch you, we jump them."
"That could work." Haltan nodded. "And I can't wait to beat whoever made me treck through that damned cavern. Couldn't they have just left the note inside the front door."
"Would you have believed it?" Lydia pointed out. "Or would you have thought it was just a trick?"
"Good point." Haltan conceded. "So we'll go and get the horn and when we get back I'll take you to Winterhold." Haltan said before letting out a small embarrassed laugh. "Divines did I get side tracked."
"No." Haldar said shaking his head. "I am not sitting here alone with people who would kill me by saying hello." he said pointing to the Greybeards, who to their credit seemed more amused than insulted.
"Not a chance lad it's far too dangerous." Haltan said shaking his head.
"He's right you could get hurt." Lydia agreed and she was sure if he was capable he would have shot her a dirty look.
Morzan scoffed. "You will get hurt lad. No ifs, ands or buts."
"Yeah I mean we might have to fight dragons clearly I would be useless there." He said sarcastically, making them frown. "I did more damage to the dragon then either of you did." he pointed out. "Only Haltan did more and he is the bloody Dragonborn."
They exchanged looks and he sighed in exasperation. "If I was someone else you would let me come along if I was still the age but could see you wouldn't care." he said in annoyance. "You're forgetting that I can defend myself and saved your ass's from a troll!" he yelled, years of being treated like he was made of glass getting too him. "I am not a defenseless child! I can defend myself."
"Alright." Haltan sighed in defeat. "You can come along. BUT!" he added quickly. "You must listen to us."
"Fine." he agreed reluctantly, the now group of four turned to the Greybeards.
"Go Dragonborn." Arngeir said with a small nodded. "Follow your destiny and may the way of the Voice guide you along your path." he said with a small bow.
The group returned the bow before they made their way for the door. As Haltan and Morzan opened the doors. Haltan couldn't help but wonder. "Do think they make the doors metal just to screw with people?" those doors were heavy, he had trouble opening a single door and he wasn't exactly a slouch when it came to physical activity.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Haldar said. "They do like to screw with people."
"Get over it lad. they wouldn't teach how to use the Voice we get it, you're upset." Haldar nearly retorted before he remembered he was upset with him and just turned away, making his way down the steps.
Haltan looked confused as the two made their way down the steps neither saying a thing to each other. "What did I miss?" he whispered to Lydia.
"That is a long story my thane." Lydia sighed, those two hadn't talked since that divines be damned conversation.
Haltan quirked an eyebrow as they walked past the now deceased frost troll's den. "I think I have the time." he joked as he gestured out to very long set of stairs they had to climb down.
Lydia sighed and began to explain. "Haldar made a deal with Hermaeus Mora to be able to learn the thu'um faster, and Morzan and him got into argument about it."
Haltan shot a look at Haldar's back. "He made a deal with a daedra?" Haltan asked incredulously. "Why?" that was one of the stupidest things you could do, right after hitting a sleeping giant in the face with a sweet roll.
"Apparently it was the only way he could get out of his plane of Oblivion."
Suddenly Haltan understood what happened. "Morzan over reacted and the lad took it poorly. Now both are too stubborn to admit they were wrong." He guessed and Lydia nodded.
"I apologized after a week, neither of them have said more than five words to each though."
"As long as it does cause trouble I will let them work this out themselves." he said, "but tell me if you think it going to cause something." he told her.
Lydia nodded. "Of course my Thane."
Haltan sighed. "I thought I told you to call me Haltan."
Her lips quirked upwards slightly. "Of course my Thane." Haltan spent the next few minutes grumbling about uppity housecarls.
They reached Riverwood with little trouble, running into a small group of bandits right outside the town that they dealt with quickly.
"Seems like you are getting better with that bow." Haltan said as they entered the town. "You are avoiding objects a lot better than before." when they first began the trip the boy hit almost every other tree or rock blocking his target but he was getting a bit better at guessing where to aim.
"Well I have doubled my range." it was true what they say a day in battle was worth a year in training. Having to use his magic to adapt to the new surroundings, the icy hills and muddy plains let him gain better experience telling what was around him and extending the range.
"Not bad." Lydia said patting him on the back. "Now let's go trip this ambush." She said, shooting them a look saying she couldn't believe they were doing this.
Haltan held up his hands defensively. "Hey do you know a better way to find out who took the horn and get it back?"
"No but that doesn't make this idea any less idiotic." She said.
"Aren't you supposed to support me?" he asked.
"I am but I am also supposed to keep you alive, and right now you acting counter intuitively to that obligation." Morzan laughed.
"Let's get this over with."