AN: I got bored, so here is one more chapter! Don't forget to review!
P.S.: Happy New Year!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Elder Scroll series, Bethesda does!
Gerdur, Ralof's sister, and Hod, Gerdur's husband, were more than willing to help out the Stormcloaks and me. Hod talked to the owner of the tavern and succeeded in gaining some rooms, free of charge. Gerdur also fed us; she made as much food as she could with the vegetables and venison that she had at the moment.
Gerdur's home was simple; it was one large room, with two beds, a table, a few dressers, and a fireplace. While I was sitting by the aforementioned fireplace, Ralof approached me.
"How are you?" he asked in a weary voice.
"I think I'm in shock," I said, still not believing what happened today. "How are you faring?"
He chuckled and replied "I'm okay, but I definitely didn't expect to see a dragon in my lifetime."
After a while of mindless chatting, Ralof asked why I had fled High Rock.
"I was set to marry a pompous nobleman this morning. I have no doubt that my parents have hired everyone they possibly can to find me. I just hope they don't think to look out of High Rock." I said with a hint of apprehension.
He replied with a grunt, and I couldn't blame him. It wasn't everyday that you were almost killed by a dragon, and then had to deal with a run away noblewoman.
Ralof looked at me before speaking, "I think you should head to Windhelm, and join the Stormcloaks."
I stared in shock as he just looked right back at me. He said that like he just told me what the weather is like, not like he just told me to get involved in a civil war that doesn't pertain to me! I mean, the Stormcloaks had been great to me so far, but joining them? I wasn't sure if I was ready to do that, which I told Ralof.
He just replied with a "You will join us; I can feel it!"
After making the suggestion, I was left to ponder his proposition. If I go to Windhelm, where ever that is, and join these Stormcloaks, I will be making a LOT of enemies I thought to myself. But on the flip side, I will be making a LOT of allies. I debated with myself until I laid down on the bedroll Gerdur gave me, and I fell asleep.
I awoke the next morning at the smell of frying meat. My mouth immediately watered; last night was the first time I had eaten properly for a while, and I still craved real food. I walked over to where Gerdur was frying what I assumed to be venison and asked if I could help her with the food. She told me that it would be really helpful if I could go fetch some water out of the river that flowed through town.
I immediately walked outside with a bucket and headed for the river. As I was passing the inn, I heard a traveling merchant say that he heard that there were no survivors in Helgen, and that the entire village was in ruins. Everyone either stayed to fight and died, or they fled. I remembered the little boy that was frozen in fear at the sight of the dragon, and hoped that he had been lucky enough to get out alive. With a heavy heart, I continued on to the river to retrieve Gerdur's water.
That same afternoon, after helping Gerdur around the mill, she told me that she needed a favor from me.
"I need someone to go the Jarl of Whiterun, the hold near here, and tell the Jarl of the dragon attack. He will want to know about Helgen, and will probably send some guards here." she said all in one breath.
Realizing that after everything Gerdur had done for me, I accepted her request. She gave me a few supplies, pointed me in the right direction, and I was off.
The walk to Whiterun took just over an hour. Luckily, I didn't encounter any of the bears or saber tooth lions Gerdur had warned me about.
The hold was surrounded by a massive stone wall, and sat atop a hill. There was very little in the way of vegetation, except for a large dead tree in the center of the town. There were three distinct tiers of the town: the first being the lower class and market section, the second being the upper class homes, and the final being the palace.
I headed for a little tavern called the Bannered Mare and rented a room for the night. I would go speak to the Jarl in the morning, but for now I just needed to rest.
Large black scales blotted out the sky; screams filled the air. Breathe in, breathe out, run. Scramble behind a destroyed building's rubble. Charge a fireball, release. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. Try to ignore the screams that suddenly weren't there anymore. Look for an escape. But this time, there is no Ralof to lead you out. No Imperials to help you. Only a dragon and its prey.
I shot up in my bed, drenched in a cold sweat, breathing hard. I look around and realize that I'm in the little room I rented. I look outside and see a faint light shining towards the East. I wouldn't be going back to sleep, so I might as well get up now. I go and sit in front of the small washbasin left for me on a table in my room. As I absentmindedly sponged off the dirt and grime from my travels I began thinking about the dream.
What was that? Why am I dreaming of that big black dragon? I wonder where it came from, after all of that time?I thought with questions sporadically forming in my head.
As more questions began to float around my mind, I decided I would stop thinking about it before I could think of anymore questions that I couldn't answer. To take my mind off of the dream, I considered Ralof's offer of joining the Stormcloaks. At first, I just shook off the suggestion; but now, I'm not so sure.
It would give me a purpose here, and I'm not exactly feeling so generous with the Imperials. I thought with a tad bit of spite. If Skyrim is going to be my home, then a Civil War here does pertain to me. I'm going to need to choose a side if I'm going to stay here.
I wouldn't want someone telling me who I could worship, and who I couldn't. That isn't fair to anyone. Why is it anyone's business who worships who? You could worship a tree, but if it doesn't affect me, I'm not going to care. I might think you're just a tad bit crazy, though.
The more I began to think about it, the more angry I became. Who did these Imperials think they were coming into this place, and telling the natives how to live?
My mind was made up. After I spoke with the Jarl, on Gerdur's behalf, I would head for Windhelm.
As soon as I stepped foot into the palace, I was met with an angry Dark Elf woman. I immediately froze in my tracks at the look she was sending me. That was when I realized she had spoken, and was expecting a reply.
With a sheepish smile I asked, "Come again?" I was smiling on the outside to his how much the woman actually intimidated me with her blood-red eyes.
In an inpatient and demanding voice, she asked once again why I was in Dragonsreach. Ah, so that is the name of the palace. What an odd name.I thought.
"I have news of the attack in Helgen." I said in a clear voice.
Her demeanor immediately changed. "Follow me, the Jarl will want to speak with you." With that, she turned around and walked up the stairs to a man sitting in a throne. His relaxed posture immediately put me at ease. The man asked Irileth, who I realized was the Dunmer woman, who I was and why I was here.
Instead of waiting for her to answer, I said "My name is Ryo Blackthorn. Gerdur of Riverwood sent me here with information on the attack in Helgen."
"You know about Helgen?" He asked eagerly, and with a bit of surprise.
"I had a wonderful view of the attack from the chopping block." Oh Divines, why did I just say that? I've got to learn to filter my words.
He just looked at me with an unamused stare. It eerily reminded me of Ysona, back in High Rock.
I decided that I should probably keep speaking before he threw me in prison. "It was a dragon. A huge black beast that made flaming stones fall from the heavens, and could breathe torrents of flames." That wiped the unhappy expression from his face, and replaced it with surprise.
"A dragon? We just put that off as a rumor, how is that possible? The dragons have been long dead!" He said in a slow drawl. "If what you saw is true, you must speak with my Court Wizard, Farengar. He knows all about dragons."
The Jarl led me to a room off to the right of the great hall, into a room with a man in blue wizard's robes. The man was pouring over a book that looked as if it would fall apart and turn to dust at any second.
At our entrance, he immediately put the book down and asked the Jarl what he needed. Jarl Balgruuf told Farengar that I was at the Helgen attack, and that I had seen the dragon. The Jarl turned to leave after explaining the situation; it was just the Court Wizard and I now.
Farengar proceeded to ask me questions about the dragon for the next half hour. I guess he decided he had gained enough information from me, and told me that I was free to leave.
Before leaving, I asked him if he knew where I could buy some new clothes. My clothes were... singed to say the least. His face lit up and he proceeded to tell me that he could sell me some mages robes. He had two sets available. There were robes just like the blue robes he was wearing, and then there was a set that had been enchanted to power up my destruction magicka. He told me that those robes were the same robes that a new student at the College of Winterhold would wear.
The robes were rather expensive, but I knew that they would be worth the money. I paid for the robes and immediately went down the large flight of stairs out of Dragonsreach and walked back to the room I had rented. I paid the innkeeper for another night in the room, and immediately changed into my new robes. I could feel the enchantment on the robes intertwining with my magicka.
It was only midday, so I decided to check out the other shops in town. I occasionally bought things that I thought would help me out during my time here. My last stop was a weapons and armor shop right past the main gate. I entered the shop and saw a large Nord man behind the counter.
"Are you looking to buy, or just browsing?" the man asked in a raspy voice.
Startled out of my thoughts, I replied, "Actually, I was hoping that you might have a bow of some sorts." I had learned archery back home as a hobby. A "proper woman" had to learn a discipline, such as music or ballet. My rebellious side made me learn archery, I think, just to spite my stifling and traditional parents.
"We haven't got anything fancy, but we do have a few bows. We have long bows, and bows from the Imperial army." he told me.
He brought them out and laid them on the counter. One look at the long bow, and I knew I wouldn't be able to use it. It was just too large. I decided on the Imperial bow, and fifty iron arrows.
When I exited the shop, the sun was setting, and I decided to call it a night. I headed back to the Bannered Mare, and put my things away. I laid on the bed for a while just thinking about how much my life had changed in a short week. I wonder if my parents miss me? I shook my head. I'm sure they don't. They are just angry that I defied them.I thought sadly.
I began thinking of my near death experience three days ago, and thought of my plea to the Divines. Maybe there was something to them after all. I mean, what would it hurt to pray to them, since they obviously answered my prayers? Even if it was in the form of a big black dragon intent on killing everything and everyone. It was something. I would have to find a book on the Divines and learn what each of them stood for.
I decided that in the morning I would begin my trip to Windhelm. I considered taking a carriage, but if I was going to live here, I wanted to know the land. Thinking about the adventure I would be setting out on tomorrow, I fell into a deep slumber.
AN: Thanks for reading! We're off to Windhelm in the next chapter!